Surprises
by stayathomemum
Summary: An A/U universe set in mid-season 7. Tony and Angela navigate some fallout from a surprise pregnancy. Tony and Angela's love is put to the test. This story is turning into a novel! It's long but hopefully worth the read.
1. Chapter 1, I'm pregnant

Author's note:

Takes place in Season 7, right after _Inherit the Wine_. The family is back from Italy. Tony and Angela have broken up with Kathleen and Andy respectively for over a month now and are slowly working back to what they had. A/U. . . the rest of Season 7 and all of 8 never happened, at least not in the way you remember them. These are the alternate schedule of events in my little parallel universe of sorts.

**Disclaimers: I own nothing. Just borrowing the characters of WTB and taking them elsewhere. Everything belongs to ABC. **

**Chapter One: **

It was a rainy Saturday afternoon in late November, and Billy and Angela were cuddling on the couch when the doorbell rang suddenly, interrupting a crucial moment in their movie . . . Pinocchio had just made a wish to become a real boy. Hearing that somebody was at the door made Angela jump a bit. She'd been edgy since leaving a phone message for Andy a couple of hours earlier. She was waiting for his response and it made her tense and apprehensive.

Angela walked to the door with trepidation. The phone message she'd left for Andy would certainly be quite alarming for him considering that they'd broken up over a month ago. Had it been an entire month? Was it two months since the Tony and Kathleen fiasco from hell was over? Almost two months since Billy had come to live with them? Two weeks since she and Tony had finally made progress at the Starlight Ballroom, resolving to move slowly but together in the same direction. At last. And now, this? This was not in the plan. This was not supposed to happen. This did not happen to almost 40-year old, responsible women who owned their own business while raising teenagers.

"Aren't you going to answer the door, Angela?" Billy queried. He was anxious to resume the movie and see if Pinocchio ever did become a real boy. He stood up and stared at Angela, who was standing at the door, hesitating. She saw it was Andy through the peephole. Oh god, why did he have to show up? Why hadn't he just called her back? She felt her heart start to hammer in her chest. She was literally fused to the ground, unable to move.

"Ok then, I can open the door Angela . . . do you want me to?" Billy started to lunge for the doorknob. He couldn't figure her out. Was she scared of the door? Whatever it was, the sooner they got rid of whoever it was, the sooner he could watch his video.

"No! Um . . . no Billy, thank you." She blurted, recovering her senses. "Billy, can you please wait in the kitchen? I'll be right there. "Here, take your colouring book and crayons and colour . . . colour this!" She practically shoved him towards the kitchen and randomly selected a page with fruit on it for him to colour.

"But what about the movie?" He protested. He wanted to obey but this was strange. And Angela was acting really weird, even for her. He found her a bit jumpy to begin with but this was too much. He was a bit scared now. Who was at the door?

Billy sprinted across the living room despite Angela's protestations and opened the door to get rid of the intruder. _Oh no, not him!_ Billy knew this man. He'd seen him before, when he'd first arrived in Connecticut. He was the man who'd accused him of ruining his dates with Angela. Billy wished he hadn't opened the door after all.

"Hey kid. You still live here? Where's Angela?" Andy brushed past Billy and claimed his spot in the foyer spotting Angela near the kitchen door holding a colouring book, her face pale, dark eyes troubled.

"Billy, please go to the kitchen and wait for me there." Angela's directive was obeyed this time, without protest. He knew something was up and decided to make himself scarce. He would colour this page of fruit and make it really good and that would help Angela feel better, he told himself. They'd put it on the fridge like the drawing he'd made a few days earlier after returning from Italy. Billy didn't like the man at the door, he thought while trying to colour inside the lines, adding green to a bowl of fruit but he was having trouble with the pear. It was really hard to keep the colour from spilling out of the sides despite his valiant efforts. Billy felt tense and distracted because Angela was upset about the man showing up.

He wondered when Tony would be home. He didn't mind spending time alone with Angela but secretly, he liked Tony the best because he was funny and reminded him of the man in his dreams and photos. . Daddy.

Billy heard the man's loud voice coming from the living room. Then the man shouted a bad word, which made Billy jump up in his chair. He coloured faster then, the crayon slipping erratically across the page of fruit, turning the pear, the apple and the cherries all green. "Come back Tony! Hurry back from the grocery store please!" Billy pleaded silently in his head when the shouts started echoing beyond the kitchen door.

Meanwhile, in the living room, Angela was hoping that Tony wouldn't be back for a while longer. She had to get rid of Andy before Tony returned from running his Saturday errands. She had not expected Andy to show up nor had she expected a shouting match to ensue.

"Ok Angela, I got your message. So why did you call and why is it so urgent?" Andy seemed curious but also somewhat annoyed that Angela would dare call him after she'd dumped him so unceremoniously to care for a 5-year old who wasn't even her charge. This frustration was evident in his tone of voice when he confronted Angela.

"Andy, I was hoping you'd just call me back. You didn't have to come_ all_ the way over here." She wished he'd stayed home.

"Your house isn't that far Angela. Your phone message had me curious. I thought that maybe you'd come to your senses and decided to pursue our relationship anew. But I see you still have that kid living here. Is he still taking up all of your time? Or have you figured out how to manage that better and let your _housekeeper_ take care of him? " Andy's suggestive emphasis on the word _housekeeper _gave Angela a jolt. There was a coldness to his face; an arrogance masking what? Hurt? His entire demeanor was confrontational and stony but Angela knew there were emotions brewing beneath the cool exterior.

Angela knew she'd hurt him after the Phantom incident. Cancelling date after date and making excuses. The fact was that she hadn't really want to date Andy anymore once Tony broke it off with Kathleen. But it would have looked too desperate to dump him instantly and rush into Tony's arms. Tony had hurt her and she needed time. Time to think, to regroup, to heal. She hadn't continued to date Andy in order to hurt Tony or to teach him a lesson, at least not consciously. It was Tony who had started the chain of events that led to her involvement with Andy. Tony had betrayed her and she was just trying to survive the worst summer of her life. And if a handsome, charming doctor wanted to take her on his yacht, ply her with champagne and treat her to Broadway shows while her heart was shattered, then it was her prerogative to do that.

Andy was staring at her, waiting for a response. Angela swallowed hard, resolving to get this over with before Tony came home. Courage. She needed to be brave and just say it. Say it and hoped he wouldn't be too upset, or worse, want to marry her.

"Um Andy. We do need to talk. No, I'm not seeking to resume our relationship. It's not about anything like that. But you have a right to know. I wanted to make sure first, of course. I. . . I . . . I wasn't sure and things were so hectic with Billy arriving, settling in, Samantha moving out and then our trip to Italy. So I didn't do anything about it but then I was late two months in a row and that never happens to me." She paused, looking up at him, hoping he would understand where she was going with this. Andy continued to stare at her, his expression unreadable. Angela continued, "I've been to the doctor. He confirmed it. I'm 10 weeks pregnant." She stopped talking and hung her head, waiting for his reaction.

A conflagration of wills was evident on Andy's face. The calm, rational doctor part of him was trying to keep the emotions at bay but the shocked, hurt ex-boyfriend part of him won out. "You're pregnant? What the hell, Angela!" Andy's voice started rising. "Oh this is just f***ing fantastic!" The last two words, he shouted loudly. Angela looked towards the kitchen door hoping that Billy was obliviously colouring and not hearing Andy's F-bomb.

"Do you have to swear? Billy will hear you!" Angela shushed him which only served to fan the flame on Andy's anger even more.

"Do I have to swear? Do I have to swear?!" The crescendo rose in his voice. He stepped closer to Angela to confront her. "Explain to me, Angela. Explain to me how you could get pregnant while you were on the Pill. A prescription I wrote for you myself if you recall, to save time, so we could be together. Did you not take it as I prescribed it?" Andy's face was so completely inside of Angela's comfort zone that she had to step back. She felt very intimidated and suddenly frightened. Alone at home with a 5-year old and a very angry ex-boyfriend.

"Enough, Andy!" she yelled. "For your information, I did take the Pill. I did. But I forgot a couple of them and doubled them up later. I'm almost 40. Women my age usually need medical intervention to get pregnant. I didn't think. . ." she practically whispered the last few words, wishing the floor would swallow her up or better yet, swallow Andy up. This was going a lot worse than she'd expected.

"No, you clearly didn't think." Andy's icy demeanor was back, his anger bubbling beneath the surface. But he had stepped away from her. He looked at her with contempt, took a deep breath and sat down on the couch, his face in his hands. He was in control of his emotions once more but Angela feared another outburst could happen again.

"Look", she said trying to pacify him. "I don't need or want anything from you. I'm financially secure and I'm already a single mom. I can do this again, on my own. I'm doing you the courtesy of informing you because you have the right to know but I don't expect_anything_." Letting him off the hook certainly was the best course of action. She didn't want Andy in her life anyway. Definitely not, and especially not around a baby with his potty mouth and outbursts of anger.

"You mean you're actually having it?" He asked incredulously. "Why would you have it, Angela? Your agency is busy and your kid is almost grown and you've inherited your _housekeeper's_ charge too." He was genuinely puzzled. "Listen Angela, I have a doctor friend who can help you. I don't want to be a dad and you probably haven't thought this through and besides . . . . "Angela interrupted him. "You think I haven't thought this through? Do you seriously think that I haven't already agonized over this and gone over it a million times? I cannot- I will not get rid of this pregnancy. I could _never_ do that, Andy. It's not me. Sure, it'll be hard but I'll make it work. You don't need to worry about me. I already said I didn't want anything from you."

Angela felt her courage rise and she knew she had made the right decision. This was _her_ baby and she was standing her ground. Confronting Andy made her feel protective of her baby. It was_ her_ baby . . . the idea starting to sink in for real this time. Andy could fall off a cliff and she wouldn't care at this point. All the dread and trepidation began melting away, replaced instead by righteous indignation and self- preservation. For the first time since the positive pregnancy test, Angela felt at peace.

"I'm not going to change your mind, am I?"

"No. I've made my final decision. My body, my decision. Now, what do you want to do, Andy?"

"Honestly Angela, I just wanted to date and have fun. I have a busy practice and very little leisure time. I don't want to be changing diapers again. My kids are grown and I don't want to start again. If it were up to me, I'd terminate this pregnancy. But it's not up to me, is it? "The frustration in his voice was evident.

"No, Andy. It's not. But I'm letting you off the hook. I won't pursue you for anything." Angela didn't want ties to Andy. He seemed somewhat relieved by her words so she continued, "Andy, really, you can just go. It's ok. I'll manage." She wanted him to leave.

"I don't want you to put my name on the birth certificate, Angela. I am categorically rejecting this pregnancy. I wrote you a script for birth control. That _was_ my decision. You must think I'm a real jerk but I never wanted this." Andy desperately wanted out of this situation and he was making sure that Angela did not misunderstand him. He looked at her for signs of understanding, still unable to believe that an intelligent woman her age could mess up so badly. None of this was his fault, after all. He truly believed that and it was that conviction that enabled him to completely discard any sense of responsibility towards Angela or the baby. With that, he took out his check book and decided that a one-time payment would keep his conscience clear and act as a contract of sorts, keeping Angela and the baby out of his life for good.

"Here's ten thousand dollars, Angela. I can get it certified if you want but the funds are there. Put it in the kid's college fund and let's leave it at that. He thrust the check at her but she just looked at him, her deep brown eyes filled with sadness and didn't take it from his hands. "You're paying me off?" she asked incredulously, sinking into the little foyer desk chair.

"No, no, think of it as my contribution to the kid's future. Here, just take the damned check. Then don't call me ever again. God, I can't believe you messed up the Pill." He slammed the check on the little desk and turned around to face her one last time. "I'm leaving now. Do not put my name on that birth certificate or tell me when it's born or anything. Just don't. You're having this baby without my consent or permission. Consider this my termination of responsibility. Good bye." And with that, he walked out of Angela's life and her baby's too.

With a slam of the door, it was over. With wobbly legs and a great sense of relief, Angela made her way to the kitchen to check on Billy. Poor kid; if he'd heard any of that, he'd probably be scarred for life. She took a deep breath, straightened out her shirt and walked into the kitchen. Tony had come home and was putting the groceries away while Billy munched on some crackers. Had he heard? Did he know? How was she going to tell him?


	2. Chapter 2, Run out in the rain

**Chapter 2**

Tony was busy putting groceries away when Angela entered the kitchen. Billy stopped shoving crackers into his mouth long enough to ask between bites, "Is he gone, Angela? Can I finish my video now?"

"Yes Billy, he's gone." Angela studied him, trying to figure out how much he might have heard. Tony looked at her then and asked her if that was Andy's car he'd seen in the driveway. But before she could answer, Billy started, "Tony, it was the mean man. He doesn't like me. Why did he ask if I still lived here? Can't he_ see_ that? And I heard him say that bad word too. Angela, what does f*** mean?"

There was nothing like an inquisitive 5-year old to throw the cards on the table. He'd just repeated Andy's profanity in front of Tony. Angela was taken aback. Tony gaped at her and then at Billy and then back at Angela like he wasn't sure who he wanted to address first. He started with Billy.

"Hey Billy buddy, it's not okay to say that word. Don't repeat it again. Sometimes grownups say things they shouldn't but we don't use that word in this house. Got it?" Billy nodded but was still a bit confused about the entire situation. If it was such a bad word, then why did the mean man use it? "Hey champ, why don't you finish your movie?" Tony wanted to speak to Angela, alone. He ushered Billy back into the living room and set up the VCR for him, unpausing Pinocchio. Billy relaxed on the couch and continued to munch his crackers.

Tony came back into the kitchen trying to figure out what had happened during his short absence at the grocery store. Angela was sitting at the kitchen table, head down, willing herself not to cry. She didn't think that Billy had heard anything besides Andy's loud curse and Tony hadn't even known that Andy was here, so he obviously hadn't heard. The confrontation with Andy had taken its toll and now the tears were threatening to spill. She didn't want to cry in front of Tony. She wasn't ready to tell him about any of this yet. She needed to process it first. Angela stood up to leave the kitchen but Tony blocked her exit.

"Whoa Angela! Wait a second here. What happened? Was that Andy? What was he doing here?" No way was Tony letting Angela just leave the room without clueing him in first. She seemed upset and he wanted to know why.

"Yes, Tony, it was Andy but I'd really rather not talk about it right now. Please." The unshed tears had formed a lump in her throat, and her words came out strangled and raspy.

"Listen Angela, if he came here and swore at you and made you cry, I can uh, beat him up for you. What happened?!" Tony was in full protective mode; assuming the same stance he did when checking out Sam's dates for the first time. Nobody insulted the women in this house. And nobody made them cry.

"Tony. Can we talk later, _please_?" Angela's eyes glistened with unshed tears and the first drops started to fall despite her best efforts. The entire Andy scenario replayed in her mind and the sick realization that her baby had been completely rejected made her feel a bit sick to her stomach. The full force of Andy's anger, his verbal violence and his utter contempt towards her suddenly hit her like a sledgehammer in the chest. She'd never felt so hated before. And he hated her baby too. She felt so ashamed and stupid. Andy's insults were like glass shards imbedding themselves into her psyche and her heart. She truly did feel like the idiot he'd judged her to be. The dam had broken and all of the emotions she'd repressed for the past ten days, since learning she was pregnant surfaced at once and overwhelmed her. Those damned pregnancy hormones, she cursed to herself.

"Tony, please. I need to be alone." Angela tried to push past him through the blur of her rapidly falling tears.

"But Angela . . ." Tony was troubled. He gently blocked her exit once more and lifted her chin up to meet her gaze. The only time he'd seen her this upset was when she'd been fired from Wallace & McQuaid. And,_ his conscience reminded him_, when he'd slept with Kathleen. After the Kathleen incident, she'd hidden it and managed to exit her office quickly, getting away from him before the dam of tears burst. This time, she was trapped. He started wrapping his arms around her. At first Angela tried to break free from the hug but the concern and worry in Tony's warm eyes stopped her. She didn't feel like fighting anymore. She leaned into his chest and let the tears fall onto his flannel shirt. "Shhhh, it's ok. It's ok" he murmured into her hair, gently stroking her back, then moving his hand up onto her neck, massaging the tension there and back down across her shoulders, consoling, caressing and whispering "shhhh, it's ok, just cry" to her again and again. Angela continued sobbing against him, her tears flowing freely onto his shoulder. Then she thought of how hurt he'd be by her news, and she started crying even harder. She didn't want to hurt him. She wanted to stay in his arms, inhaling the familiar, comforting scent of him and feel safe there. What if he became angry? What if he wanted to leave? The fears and "what if's" began multiplying quickly and she suddenly felt as though she couldn't breathe. She was going to have to hurt this man. After what they'd just been through, she didn't know if their relationship could take another blow. She needed to breathe! "I'm sorry Tony. I'm so sorry", she sobbed as she extricated herself from his arms and abruptly ran out the back door. She didn't have her car keys or her purse with her so she just started running up the street, into the cold November rain.

Tony wanted to pursue her but he couldn't well leave Billy alone. Jonathan was at the library all afternoon and Sam was at the dorm. He quickly picked up the phone and dialed Mona's number. She picked up the phone with an annoyed sounding, "What?"

"Mona, it's me. Listen, I need you to come to the house and watch Billy for a bit. It's urgent." Tony was pacing in the kitchen.

"What, ME babysit? _Again_? Tony, I have a date and _we_ don't want to be interrupted. Go away." And with that, she hung up. Tony growled at the phone, redialed and yelled into the receiver this time, "Mona, your daughter just took off out of here sobbing her heart out. She's out running in this cold rain without a jacket or umbrella. I'm going after her and you need to get your butt down here and keep an eye on Billy. Screw your date!" He just realized the bad choice of words and winced as he hung up.

But his words had the intended effect and Mona was at the kitchen door right away. "What do you mean, Angela is sobbing and running in the rain?" A mother's instinct to worry never faded even when her "child" was 39. Tony pushed her towards the living room and told her to keep an eye on Billy. He grabbed his jacket and keys and took off in the Jeep to find Angela.

It didn't take long to find her. She hadn't gotten far on foot but she was already drenched. It was barely above freezing outside and the raindrops were starting to coalesce into icy pellets. What on earth was she doing outside like this in her thin cotton shirt? Tony knew that Angela had a tendency to run out when she got stressed or overwhelmed. The incident during her birthday when she'd talked in her sleep came to mind but at least she hadn't driven off to a downtown bar this time. He caught up with her easily and honked the jeep to make himself known. Through the open window he called to her, "Angela, get in the car. You're gonna freeze your butt off. Come on!" But she just stood there, soaked, not moving. "Oh Angela, you're gonna to make me get out of the car, aren't you?" he muttered to himself. With the engine still running, Tony jumped out of the jeep and approached Angela. She was shivering, her teeth chattering and her face was soaked in a mixture of rain and tears. He took off his jacket, wrapped it around her and led her to the passenger seat.

Angela allowed Tony to take her to the car. She just wanted to get warm again. The icy rain was hurting her cheeks and forehead and her nose was dripping. He handed her a tissue from the box in the car and drove home quickly. He wasn't going to force her to talk if she wasn't ready but it was obvious that Andy had traumatized her somehow. "You okay?" he asked, wanting her to know that she could talk to him. "Am I okay? Tony, have you ever seen me less okay?" her voice sounded weary. "No, Angela, I can't say that I have and that includes when you got canned." He said softly, then continued, "You're my best friend so when you're ready to talk, please know you can talk to me. I mean it, Angela. Whatever happened, whatever this is about, I'm here for you." He pulled into the driveway, turned to face her and put a warm hand over her frozen one, squeezing it lightly. "But first, let's get you warmed up before you catch pneumonia! By the way, I should warn you that Mona's here. She's watching Billy."

They entered the house together, through the kitchen door. Tony had his arm around Angela's shoulders and was hugging her to him to warm her up. He felt very protective of her and wanted to take care of her right now. Whatever was going on, he would show her his care. And hopefully, she'd be able to open up to him and trust him with this situation. "Come on, Angela. Let's get you out of those wet clothes and put you in a hot shower." Oh, that came out wrong! "What I _mean_, Angela, is that _you_ should take a hot shower right now and warm up. Just put your wet clothes on the floor and I'll hang 'em in the laundry room for ya. And I'll make you tea. Earl Grey. Hot." Angela was still shivering and lost in her thoughts. She didn't even react to Tony's faux pas.

Mona heard them in the kitchen and quickly went to see what was happening. She took a sharp intake of breath when she saw her daughter, soaking, shivering, teeth chattering and miserable, but worst of all her eyes were dull. She had a feeling she knew what this might be about, but she'd need to get Angela alone to discuss it.

"Mona, Angela needs a hot shower. Can you give her a hand here?" Tony's anxious expression spurred Mona to action. Mona grabbed Angela's arm and steered her where she needed to go. Fortunately, Billy was glued to the TV set and wasn't paying much attention as they headed up the stairs, mother leading daughter.

"Let's go upstairs, Angela. I'll help you." Mona wasn't normally a nurturing sort of person, preferring to tease and torment her daughter in good fun but in a crisis, her maternal instincts resurfaced with a vengeance. She loved her daughter very much even though she hid her feelings behind humour and sarcasm. Angela felt as though she was walking through a fog now that her emotions were spent. Running in the cold rain had been idiotic and she was frozen to the core, not even caring anymore. Fatigue started to set deeply into her entire body. The pregnancy was making her more tired than usual these days but this was a bone weary exhaustion resulting from the earlier crying jag and strong emotions. It felt almost surreal, to be floating behind her mother and following her up the stairs. Mona opened the door to Angela's bedroom and started helping her out of her wet things. Angela wasn't reacting much and Mona was getting worried.

"Angela, let's get you into the hot shower right now, okay?" Angela didn't protest or help. She just felt so damned tired. Spent. "Angela?" Mona snapped her fingers in front of her daughter's face and managed to startle her. Angela quickly discarded the rest of her soggy clothes on the floor and headed to the shower, Mona following closely behind. "Mother, if you don't mind, I'd rather shower by myself. I don't need any help." She closed the bathroom door in her mother's face and stepped into the shower.

The first spray of hot water felt so good, so comforting, so warming. Angela reveled in it, standing there in the hot spray, letting the rivulets of water caress her body, calming the shivering. Her body relished in the warmth and she just sighed, letting the hot water crash onto her head, shoulders and back. When she was done, she was surprised to find that Mona was waiting for her in the bedroom. "Well, how was that, dear? Do you feel better now?" Mona patted the bed beside her, inviting Angela to sit down. Angela was wary; did her mother want a confession of sorts? Could she trust her with this information? Would she even be able to keep it from her? The woman had a weird sixth sense about some things—usually things one was trying to hide. But she seemed genuinely concerned. Angela sat down cautiously and removed the pink turban from her hair, drying it with the towel. She didn't say anything, waiting instead for Mona to speak first.

"So, Angela . . . why don't you tell me how far along you are?" Mona prompted.

"Far along in what?" Angela asked carefully. She wasn't ready to reveal anything just yet.

"Angela, this is your mother talking. Your face was green during the train rides to work this week. You can't hide anything from me."

"You know I get train sick, Mother." How the hell did she know?

"You're starting to show, dear."

"What? I am?" She didn't see that coming.

"No, but now you've admitted it. Gotcha!" Mona was pleased with herself until she looked up and saw Angela's face. The sadness in her dark eyes said it all.

"Oh Mother. . . ", Angela had no words. She felt ambushed.

"Tell me. Talk to me. Who's the father? Is it Andy's? Does Tony know?" Mona always needed to know all the details about everything.

"Yes, Andy's. No, Tony doesn't know. Mother, I'm so tired. I think I need some juice." She tried to change the subject.

"Oh, my poor stupid baby!" Mona pulled her daughter into a hug and gave her reassuring words that it would be alright. "Let me see if I'm right here. You're terrified to tell Tony because you've invented an entire disastrous outcome in your mind but you haven't even talked to him, have you?" Sometimes Mona's insights were spot on. "Angela, you need to talk to him. He's your best friend."

"Mother, Tony and I are finally getting back to where we were before Kathleen and this horrible summer. And now I'm pregnant with another man's child! How is this going to affect our reconciliation? We've been taking baby steps, being so careful, not taking anything for granted since we stopped dating others. I'm so scared that it'll be too much for him. For us. I can't lose him again." Oh no, not more tears. Angela wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and took a deep sigh. "Mother, Andy was horrible. He wanted me to terminate the pregnancy. He paid me off. He wants nothing to do with me or the baby." I'm all alone.

"No, you're not alone." Come on, let's go downstairs and feed you.

"I'm not ready to tell Tony yet, Mother. Please don't tell him." She implored. Mona nodded, figuring that the pregnancy would make itself known in time if Angela was too chicken to say anything. If only those two could actually talk to each other instead of worrying about consequences that hadn't even happened. Sometimes they needed a wee nudge.

Mona and Angela made their way downstairs, the smells of dinner being prepared wafting through the living room. Jonathan was back home and he and Billy were constructing Lego spaceships on the living room floor. "Hi mom." He greeted to her. She smiled at her son and Billy playing together. It was such a normal scene of happy domesticity; dinner on the way, children playing. This joyful reality contrasted sharply with Angela's inner turmoil. She tugged the sash of her ratty pink bathrobe more tightly around her belly, making sure that nothing was showing and headed back into the kitchen where Tony was waiting for her.


	3. Chapter 3, Movie Night

**Chapter 3:**

Tony was standing at the kitchen counter, his back to Angela and Mona when they entered the kitchen. The rich scent of rosemary and thyme filled the kitchen. Roasted potatoes, drumsticks, buttered carrots—it all looked so good and smelled wonderful. Angela was starving. She grabbed for a potato wedge cooling on the stovetop but it was still too hot and she dropped it.

"Whoa, Angela! It's almost ready but don't be throwin' dinner on the floor here." His teasing coaxed a smile out of her and he felt a profound sense of relief that she looked a hell of a lot better than she had earlier in the day. His instincts told him that there was still something major going on but if he could get her to relax and enjoy some downtime, maybe she'd confide in him. He really wanted to help her and be close to her this evening.

"You know Angela, _Some Like it Hot_ is on TV tonight. If we hurry up Billy's bath and bedtime routine, we can make it in time for the movie. Whaddya say? You up for a good comedy? It'll cheer you up. I'll make popcorn!" He knew she never refused his popcorn. He also knew what else could relax her. He'd been saving an expensive bottle of Pinot Grigrio for a few months now. It never felt right offering it to Kathleen but he'd uncorked it for Angela tonight, so she could unwind with dinner. She definitely looked like she could use it after the day's dramatic events. "Angela, I have a delicious bottle of red just breathin' over there. Let me sample it and see if it's ready." Tony poured a small amount into a wine glass, swirling it around expertly. A good Italian knew his wine and Tony was certainly a good Italian. He put the glass to his lips. "Ah, perfection. Opulent, velvety but not too dry. I've outdone myself this time", he chuckled. Tony poured himself a glass and then two more for the ladies. Mona took hers but Angela hesitated. How could she refuse a delicious glass of Italian red that Tony had uncorked specially for her? But she couldn't drink. Maybe one sip? One sip would be safe. She delicately took the glass from him and tasted the wine. It was delicious and she_ so_ needed this right now. "Oh Tony. It is perfection. Thank you." And with that she took a greedy gulp of the heady stuff, waiting for the light buzz that comes from sampling wine on an empty stomach. Mona looked on disapprovingly and took the glass from Angela's hand. "Don't you think you've had enough, dear?" she scolded. Angela blushed from both the wine and the scolding and gave her mother an icy stare.

"Hey Mone, let her have the wine! Whaddya do that for?" Tony was perplexed and annoyed now. Just as he was about to grab Angela's glass back out of Mona's hand, the boys burst into the kitchen ready for their suppers.

"Something smells good. I'm so hungry. "Jonathan was practically salivating when he saw Tony's rosemary & thyme roasted potatoes. "Me too", piped in Billy. "We washed our hands already. Can we eat now?"

"Yeah, everybody sit down. Food is coming and there's a lot of it." Tony busied himself serving dinner, getting milk for the boys and making sure everybody had what they needed. He surreptitiously snuck Angela's wine glass back to her too. She smiled at him and then proceeded to eat with good appetite.

"Mom, can I go to Michelle's house after dinner? We have to finish our science project."

"I don't know Sweetheart. Will one of her parents be home?" Angela wasn't about to let her son be alone with a girl, unsupervised.

"Oh don't worry, mom. Michelle's fat. You know, it's not like we'd _do_ anything. We're just pals." Jonathan was only trying to reassure his mother but she looked personally offended at his statement. "Anyway, her mom is home."

"Jonathan! Fat? Really? How can you just disparage her like that? You can go but please be kind to this girl", she admonished her son.

"Ay-Oh, Jonathan. Sometimes the ugly ducklings turn into swans. Sometimes it's the overweight, awkward teenaged girl who turns into the most beautiful woman." Tony looked pointedly at Angela. He liked her in that pink bathrobe, her hair damp and curly falling past her shoulders. He wanted to run his fingers through the tangled waves. He watched her as she ate, amazed that she could put away so much food in one sitting. She felt his gaze upon her and looked up, then quickly glanced away. The intensity of his scrutiny was too much. And right now, Angela was feeling particularly vulnerable and transparent.

"Jonathan, when will you be home?" she asked.

"11 o'clock okay, mom?"

"Fine."

"So, Angela, you didn't answer me before. Are we on for _Some Like it Hot_?" Tony wanted to cuddle up on the couch with her. Maybe finish the bottle of wine together. He hoped she'd talk to him about what had troubled her so much earlier.

"Yes, Tony. I'd like that. With popcorn, of course." A good comedy would be a welcome distraction. Angela needed to forget her problems this evening, and snuggling up to Tony on the couch was the perfect antidote to her terrible day. Additionally, a movie provided the perfect excuse not to talk.

Jonathan hurriedly finished his dinner and took off for Michelle's house while Tony started tidying up the kitchen.

"Well nobody asked _me_ if I'd like to watch a movie, so I guess I'll just head on back over to my place now." Mona sighed dramatically. She wanted Tony and Angela to have some time alone with each other but teasing them was fun. "_Some Like it Hot _is such a great movie. I still remember when it came out. You know, it's an interesting fact that Marilyn Monroe was _pregnant_ when they made that movie", she drew out the word "pregnant" and looked at her daughter. Angela gave her a stern warning look before leaving to go give Billy his bath.

"Oh yeah, Mona? But she never had any kids."

"No, it's really very sad. Marilyn always wanted children but she couldn't have them. She had repeated miscarriages. It was part of her personal tragedy. She would have envied women who could get pregnant at the drop of a hat. A healthy baby is a wonderful blessing! Don't you think so, Tony?" _Nudge_.

"Sure Mona. I love kids. Marie and I wanted more but, um, she got sick and . . . ", his voice trailed off, the sad memories clouding his expression.

"I'm so sorry, Tony", and she meant it. "You know, Angela wanted more kids too but Michael was always off on a safari adventure", she said wistfully, trying to gauge his reaction. It's so wonderful that you raised each other's kids and now Billy too. You two make one hell of a parenting team. Am I right?"

"Right. I couldn't have raised Samantha without Angela`s help. And Jonathan needed me too. It's really worked out well. I mean right now, she's giving Billy a bath. She's so good with him and I'm really grateful that she stepped up to help me when his grandma gave him to me."

"Tony, that's what best friends do. Step up. Anyway, I'd better be going. Plans and such. By the way, Angela didn't drink her wine. _~pause~_ Thanks for a delicious meal once again. Good night." And with that, Mona slipped out the back door. Tony looked at the still full wine glass and downed it himself. There was plenty more where that came from if Angela wanted more. Still, it was odd that she hadn`t drunk it with dinner. He thought she'd liked it.

Tony finished cleaning up the kitchen, and joined Angela upstairs where she was almost done with Billy`s bath. The little boy was happily splashing in the tub, pretending to be a shark. Tony stood there in the doorway, watching them together. This small child and this woman; acting like any mother and preschooler. He really did need her. When Mrs. Napoli had given him Billy, he knew he wouldn't be able to parent him alone but as his employer, Angela certainly didn't have any obligation. But as his friend, she took it seriously like all of her responsibilities and he knew he could trust her. He didn't know what he would ever do without her.

"Billy, time to get out of the tub now. It's bed time." Angela tried to coax him out but he didn't want his water fun to end and started protesting.

"Hey Billy, it's almost story time!" Tony announced. "But first, you have to get out of the tub, into your P.J's and into bed, OK?" A bit of incentive never hurt. Billy pulled the plug and Angela helped him out of the tub and dried him off. She inhaled the still babyish scent of him, and helped him get ready for bed. Tony was waiting on Billy's bed with _Cat in the Hat_. Angela sat on the floor, leaning her head against the bed and listened while Tony read the book to Billy. The smooth cadence of his voice was comforting and relaxing, and so before the Cat had a chance to introduce Thing One and Thing Two, she'd completely fallen asleep. Pregnancy hormones combined with the day's events had utterly wiped her out. Tony finished the story, tucked Billy into bed and noticed Angela sitting up, asleep.

"Did she fall asleep on my floor?" Billy giggled.

"Shhhh. I'm going to help Angela up and you go to sleep now. OK buddy?" Tony switched off the little bedside lamp and grabbed Angela under the arms. She woke up then, stood up unsteadily, leaning into Tony for support.

"I think it's time for you to go to bed too." Tony started accompanying her to her room but she objected and forced herself more awake. She wanted her "Tony Snuggle Time" in front of the movie.

"No, no. I want to watch the movie with you."

"Really? You're half asleep." Tony wanted her to get enough rest but was also disappointed to watch the movie by himself.

"No, I'm fine. Just tired. Tomorrow's Sunday so I'll sleep in. It's only 8 o'clock. Movie night. Let's go." She wasn't about to lose her precious alone time with him. Holding each other on the couch during movie night was pretty much the extent of their physical relationship and she'd missed it terribly after the Kathleen calamity. No snuggles all summer. They hadn't watched a single movie together until she'd broken up with Andy. Funny that curling up with Tony on the couch once a week for two hours was much more satisfying than sex with Andy.

But then again, she regretted sleeping with Andy. It was one of those expected things in a relationship, after a certain amount of time. He had also hinted that he'd dump her if she didn't and the fear of being dumped while Tony visited Kathleen's bed was too humiliating to contemplate. So she'd let Andy write her that birth control prescription and gone along with him. He'd been in control of the entire situation, acting as both her doctor and lover. At first she'd been flattered that he desired her and that alone acted as aphrodisiac. She'd been ready to implode after three odd years of celibacy and her sublimated feelings for Tony. But in truth, Andy's lovemaking never wowed her and she had remained indifferent to his touch. It felt wrong. He was the wrong man. And she had tried to avoid it as much as possible with him. Just thinking of Andy's wet kisses and groping hands made her shudder with revulsion. But it was one of those fumbled, awkward acts that had begun the new life inside of her and she felt very protective of her baby. Her poor rejected, fatherless baby. She looked up at Tony and they went down the stairs together, hand in hand.

Tony got the popcorn ready just in time for the opening credits. He brought out the rest of the wine but Angela declined, saying that popcorn and fine wine didn't go together. She nibbled on the buttery popcorn and settled in as they always did, he sitting to her left with his right arm around her shoulders. She burrowed deeply against him right away, not bothering with the unspoken etiquette of waiting twenty minutes before Snuggletime. She wanted to be close to him now, feeling his warmth against her. She loved to put her ear against his chest and hear his heart beating. It felt so intimate and comforting. Angela needed more of him; so she curled her legs up beneath her and scooted as close to him as she physically could, while still allowing him to watch the movie. For her part, she didn't care about the movie tonight. She just wanted to fill her senses with Tony. His strong arm felt secure and safe around her, and she could feel the strength and hardness of his muscles through the thin flannel shirt. The same black and white checkered shirt that she'd cried on earlier. She looked up at him; he was smiling at the movie. Her eyes took in his full sensuous lips, and masculine face, delighting herself in his exquisiteness.

Tony looked down at Angela and realized that she wasn't remotely interested in the movie. She was gazing up at him rather adoringly. He loved their Snuggletime too. He'd been wracked with guilt this summer during his relationship with Kathleen. Saturday nights were no longer movie nights with Angela, but date nights with his new girlfriend. He'd felt like a heel and he'd missed Angela but knew that he had no right to cuddle up with her anymore. But now, Kathleen was banished to the "very bad mistakes of his past", and life had righted itself. Any excuse to have Angela in his arms was to be taken advantage of. Dancing, hugging and of course _this_, now on the couch. He fondly remembered the nights she'd fallen asleep against him, bored by his choice of Westerns or war movies. Then he'd look at her, studying her angelic face, the eyelids moving in their dream state, the rise and fall of her chest. Sometimes, it was a bit too arousing but he'd sublimate those feelings and usually end the night with a cold shower before bed. Still, it was worth it.

Now, he relished the feel of her body in his arms. Tonight, she seemed particularly affectionate and he wrapped his arm around her even more tightly and breathed in the scent of her hair. She smelled like an exotic bouquet . . . flowers and peaches and vanilla? That and her own unique scent; one he couldn't get enough of. He inhaled the delicious aroma of her hair and bent down to plant a kiss on her head, a bold move for him. Kissing was definitely not part of the snuggle scenario. Angela's adoring gaze suddenly transformed to that of a deer caught in headlights. What were they doing? The timing couldn't be worse! Startled by her expression, he directed her attention to the screen where the movie's protagonists had just escaped a gang land massacre.

They watched the movie in silence, pretending that nothing had happened. Distracted by the movie, Angela unconsciously picked up Tony's wine glass and took a sip but then remembered why she shouldn't drink. "Oh drat, I can't have any", she blurted without thinking, then clasped her hand over her mouth.

"Is there something wrong with my wine? Sure you can have some. I'll pour you your own glass. And Angela, I don't mind that you drank out of my glass by accident." Tony started pouring another glass but Angela abruptly stopped him by putting her hand on his wrist. "Don't, Tony. I don't want any after all. I'm going to bed. Good night." She practically bolted up the stairs.

Thoroughly perplexed, Tony sat through the rest of the movie. Mona's words came back to him as he studied Marilyn Monroe. Had she been pregnant and lost the baby? That was so tragic. And that had been a weird conversation they'd had about babies and parenting partners. It wasn't like Mona to randomly talk about stuff like that. In fact, both Mona and Angela had been acting very strangely today. It was like there was something . . . something he ought to intuit or figure out but it was just slightly out of his reach. It was like forgetting the lyrics to a well-known song or not being able to fit the last few pieces of a puzzle together. Why did he feel like a frustrated Poirot? While Tony pondered his thoughts, Jonathan arrived home through the front door.

"Hi Tony. What are you watching?" He tried to glimpse the TV from the little foyer desk where he was sorting through his project notes.

"Hey there Pal-o-mine. You're home early. How was your study date? Just watching _Some Like it Hot_. Your mom went to bed already."

"It was _not_ a date, Tony! I told you that Michelle is my buddy." While piling his papers, Jonathan came across Andy's cheque. "Holy crap, there's a cheque for ten grand here! Tony, look at this!" He showed Tony the cheque. There it was in blue ink—a cheque for 10 grand from Andy to Angela. It had just been lying there, openly on the desk.

This made no sense to Tony. Jonathan bid him good night and went up to his room. Tony looked at the bottle of wine, Marilyn on the screen and the cheque. He remembered Mona prying Angela's wine glass out of her hands at dinner and her speech about babies. Then he ruminated on Angela's day: her terrible meeting with Andy, the sobbing and hysterical running out into the freezing rain and the double dinner she'd wolfed down before crashing on the floor of Billy's bedroom. Behaving like she'd made a mistake drinking some wine, but not because it was_ his_ glass, he realized. The puzzle pieces teased at his consciousness and then, wham, coalesced to form a logical narrative.

"Oh!" he whispered to himself.


	4. Chapter 4, Revelation and Forgiveness

**Chapter 4:**

Tony could not sleep. He tossed and turned in bed, worrying about Angela. Was he way off base, or could she possibly be pregnant? _No_, he told himself. _No way_. Angela was way too responsible for that. And she would have said something, wouldn't she? How could she not tell him, her best friend? Was she still upset about his time with Kathleen? No, no, they'd become close again after their evening at the Starlight Ballroom and they'd talked about their relationship, _well sort of_. Didn't she trust him? Was she scared he'd judge her?

And then he thought of the previous week and saw signs there that bothered him; she'd been late to work almost every morning looking somewhat haggard and pale. She'd stopped drinking coffee for supposed health reasons. And, then there was her bathroom garbage. One of the most disconcerting aspects of his job had been to empty her bathroom trash. Early on, he'd suggested she might want to do that herself during certain, ahem, times. She'd blushed furiously but after that, on a monthly basis, Angela emptied her own trash and put in the new liner before he got to clean in there. It was one of those awkward moments that they never spoke about again. He just preferred not to know certain things. Angela had not emptied her own trash can in a couple of months at least, he realized with a start. Back and forth he went with his musings. Why hadn't she told him? Should he confront her? Was he wrong? How could she let this happen? Is that why Andy had sworn at her and made her cry? Why the huge cheque? Was that a pay off? Child support? Over and over, until almost half the night had elapsed. Finally at about 4am, Tony drifted off into unsettled sleep, his dreams continuing to whirl with distressing thoughts.

Samantha loved Sundays. Sundays meant going home to spend time with her family and eating Dad's amazing brunch. On the drive home from the dorm, her thoughts turned to French toast, pancakes, bacon, eggs sunny side up and freshly cut fruit. With coffee of course. Lots of coffee to get her through her studying later. The statistics and mathematics course was a nightmare. She needed to go home, get a bit of TLC from dad and eat some homemade food. It was 10 am and Sam fully expected a generous brunch spread to be waiting for her, so when she let herself in through the kitchen door and saw absolutely nothing, not even coffee, the effect was discombobulating. But dad knew she was coming.

"Dad? Angela?" she called out, opening the kitchen door into the living room.

They weren't there. Instead, she found Billy and Jonathan eating bowls of cheerios in front of morning cartoons.

Jonathan looked up to see a bewildered Samantha, no doubt looking for her Sunday brunch. He was happy to see her but played it cool and just mumbled a "Hey Sam" to her. _Wait for it . . . wait for it . . . _

"Hi Barfbag. Hi Billy! Where are Dad and Angela? Did they go out?"

Barfbag; the nickname she'd come up for him after the Y trip to Washington when he'd thrown up on her. How many years ago was that? He looked up at her then, her creamy skin contrasting vividly with her short, dark hair and luminous eyes. She was so stunning. Samantha, his tormenter, protector, friend, former playmate, sometime confidant, sport coach, _fake_ sister and _very _secret crush. Girl-of-his-dreams. If Samantha only knew some of the thoughts he had for her, she'd beat the crap out of him and he had no doubt that she still could.

"Mom and Tony haven't gotten up yet. Do you think we should wake them?" He asked her.

"Well **_yeah_**. It's past 10 and I'm starving. They never sleep in like this. Why didn't you wake them up already, worm?" She always knew how to make Jonathan feel like a loser, so he continually wanted to impress her.

"Let's get them up then. Oh hey, Sam, wanna see something?" He had the power to flabbergast her now. He found the ten thousand dollar cheque still on the foyer desk and showed it to her.

"What's that for?" she asked. "It's from Andy? He was here?" Sam was perplexed. She hoped to God that Angela wasn't involved with that guy again. She wanted Dad and Angela to get together, of course. If only Dad hadn't screwed up so badly last spring with the blonde twit.

Billy chimed in then, "Andy is the mean man. He said a bad word to Angela yesterday but I can't repeat it."

"Oh yeah, he was mean to her?" So, they're not together, she hoped. "If he swore at her, then why did he write her such a huge cheque?" That was bizarre.

"I dunno. I'm only five. What's a cheque?" Sam smiled down at Billy and gave him a quick squeeze. He really was adorable. Then she went upstairs to go wake Dad. He needed to get brunch started already.

She knocked on Tony's door. No answer. She let herself in and saw her dad still fast asleep. What if he was sick?

"Dad? Are you alright?" She went to feel his forehead but it was nice and cool. Sam's touch woke him up suddenly.

"Samantha? What are you doing here? What time is it?" He reached for his alarm clock and groaned. 10 am already?! Ugh.

"Were you out partying last night, Dad? I can't believe you slept in so late!" She admonished him, her rumbling tummy making her a bit too blunt.

"Ay-Oh. It's Sunday. I can sleep in if I want to. Sheesh. Is everybody else waiting for me? Why didn't Angela wake me?"

"'Cause she's still sleeping, Dad. I can go wake her up too." But he stopped her. "No, let her rest. She needs it right now." He'd check on her himself.

"Sam, can you get the coffee started please and scramble some eggs while you're at it. I'll get the bacon going after my shower." Sam was not particularly thrilled to be making her own brunch but obliged her dad and went back downstairs.

After his shower, Tony quickly went downstairs and found the kids in the kitchen, sort of preparing brunch. Burnt toast, rubbery looking eggs and spilled coffee awaited him. He grumbled and ordered Sam to clean up the coffee. Then he got out the bacon, nice Canadian bacon and put it to fry. He made some more eggs and threw out the congealed ones. Once he had everything sizzling nicely on the frying pan, with clear instructions on how to man it, he went upstairs to check on Angela. Maybe he was wrong. Maybe he'd come to a silly conclusion and there was some other, perfectly logical explanation for everything. Yeah, that had to be it. He'd try to talk to her today, he decided. Maybe they could get out for a walk, enjoying the sunny, cool autumn day. They could grab a hot chocolate and take it to the nature reserve nearby. Perhaps the older kids would join them too, or better yet, they could watch Billy while he and Angela had some privacy. He smiled at the thought of them spending a day outdoors together, walking hand in hand through the woods, leaves crunching beneath their feet.

He lightly tapped at her bedroom door. No answer. He called her name softly. Still no answer. He opened the door a crack and peeked inside. She wasn't in bed. He walked in all the way and saw her in the open bathroom, still wet from the shower, wrapped only in a bath towel and hunched over the toilet bowl, retching. Oh. No.

She hadn't seen him. She flushed the toilet, rinsed her mouth with mouthwash and drank a glass of water. She looked upset. He was about to go to her and make sure she was alright when she suddenly dropped her towel to the floor. He stood there, transfixed and agog at the sight of her. She was checking herself sideways in the bathroom mirror, skimming her hands lightly along her slightly contoured belly. Very slightly rounded but not from fat, he realized. Her breasts were larger than he remembered or imagined them to be, with a couple of light blue veins showing through the milky skin. She was intent on examining her tummy, turning this way and that, when she saw him. She gasped but he just stood there, unsure what to do. It was obvious that she was indeed pregnant. He'd seen her nude once before and that image had become indelibly seared in his memory. Her body had changed, subtly but most definitely.

"Tony!" Horrified, Angela grabbed her towel off the floor and hastily held it in front of her, her rounded buttocks visible in the mirror behind her.

Tony for his part, wasn't sure if he should confront her now, run out of the room apologizing or just pull her towel to the floor and make love to her. The latter option would probably get him slapped, fired and lose him the most precious friendship he'd ever had. But it was certainly the most tempting. Pregnant or not, she was perfection to him and the sight of her nude body had awakened a powerful lust within him. That desire was preventing him from moving at this very moment. Angela looked at him furiously and slammed the bathroom door shut.

What the hell was he doing, spying on her like that, she fumed. Oh no, what if he had been able to tell? He'd probably been watching her in horror, she decided. He had noticed her fat belly, of course and probably seen her vomiting too. She'd probably stunned the hell out of him and he'd been too shocked to move. How was she going to face him now? Another bout of nausea hit her and she ran back to the toilet, retching. Nothing came up. How could it when she hadn't even eaten anything? Then she heard a knock at her bathroom door. Tony. "Go away, Tony!" She yelled at him. He knocked again and then announced loudly, "Cover yourself up; we need to talk, Angela. I'm coming in." He burst into the bathroom as she was standing up, desperately trying to keep her loose towel in place. He grabbed her pink bathrobe from the door hook and handed it to her, eyes closed. She hastily put it on and started in on her tirade.

"Tony, how dare you come into my room and spy on me?!" Her face was flushed with anger and embarrassment.

"Angela, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I walked in on you. I was worried about you and saw you throwing up when you just dropped your towel. I didn't mean to spy on you. We need to talk. Now!" He reached for her arm but she slapped his hand away angrily.

"I don't want to talk to you right now! Get out!" She stormed out into the bedroom and proceeded to get dressed while completely ignoring him. That would make him leave, she thought. But he stood there, looking at her, his expression a mixture of hurt and resolve.

"What, you didn't get enough of a show earlier?" she demanded as she furtively pulled on a fresh pair of panties beneath her bathrobe. "What is it Tony? Do you want to see me nude?" She angrily threw off her robe and stood in front of him clad only in white cotton undies. They stood like that, staring at each other. She was waiting for him to chicken out but he just looked at her tenderly and then gently placed his hand on her bare belly. "I know", he whispered to her. "_I know_, Angela and it's alright. You can talk to me. _Please_ just talk to me", he implored. His voice broke with emotion as he looked into her eyes. She gasped and turned very pale.

"How?" she asked faintly, suddenly feeling as though her legs were going to give out on her.

"You haven't been yourself, Angela. Not at all. I put it together. What's happening? Please confide in me." He beseeched her. She was speechless, completely taken by surprise. How on earth had he figured it out? Mother? Her freak-out session yesterday? She looked down at his hand, still on her belly and her eyes started to fill with tears. He was being gentle and kind. Oh Tony. She looked into his eyes and saw no judgement, no condemnation. Only worry, concern and affection. What had she been afraid of? Of him? She realized now that her assumptions and fears were completely unfounded. He was her best friend and he really did care for her. She was suddenly overcome with a desperate need to confide in him.

She gently placed her hand over his and told him everything. She told him about Andy's brutish behaviour, and how he'd inappropriately acted as her doctor and bully. All of the angst and trauma from the summer came tumbling out of her. She couldn't stop talking, telling him all of it. Everything she'd felt about Kathleen and Andy and the horrible summer from hell. Like a boil that needed to be lanced, the negative emotions burst and she felt a cathartic release. He listened to her, never removing his hand from her belly. He cupped her face with his other hand and wiped away tears with his thumb while she unburdened herself. Then she told him about yesterday and Andy's complete relinquishment of responsibility; that he'd wanted her to get rid of the baby. He was horrified. How could Andy have treated her so badly? How could she, of all people, have put up with it? Where had he been? He felt tears in his own eyes and quickly wiped them away with the back of his hand. Guilt stabbed his heart. If he hadn't gotten together with Kathleen, none of this would have happened. It was his fault that she'd endured so much.

Angela saw his tears and wiped them away. She leaned in and softly kissed his cheek, then pressed her forehead against his. "I'm sorry I yelled at you", she whispered.

"No Angela. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I hurt you. I'm so sorry, Angela. Can you forgive me? Forgive me for betraying you? Forgive me for last summer?" He was crying now.

It was her turn to comfort him. She put her bare arms around him and pulled him close to her. She ran her hands through his hair and kissed his cheek again. They were both crying, holding each other, whispering words of regret and forgiveness to each other. "I don't blame you, Tony. I forgive you. Shhhh, it's OK." She dispensed her mercy to him and felt a fresh wave of love renewing her heart. She really did forgive him. He kissed her forehead and pressed his face into her hair, letting his tears fall into the thick, blonde tresses. He moved his hand from her belly and into her hair, gently combing it out with his fingers. She looked up at him and he moved his fingers to cup her face once again, then traced her lips with his thumb and placed a soft kiss against them. His gentle hands caressed her bare back, then moved to the gentle slopes of her hips. He pulled her against him and held her tightly, continuing to stroke her soft skin. They stayed like this for a few minutes and then pulled apart suddenly self-conscious. She abruptly crossed her arms over her bare breasts and looked down uncomfortably. Now wasn't the time for that sort of thing, she decided. He saw her discomfort and turned around to give her privacy.

The powerful moment they'd just shared signalled a permanent change in their relationship. It was a fresh start, a new beginning and the past was firmly buried in the past. Everything was forgiven and it wasn't going to haunt or hurt them again. Tony lightened the mood by telling her that brunch was ready and Sam was waiting downstairs to see her too. He chuckled when he told her that the kids had ruined the first breakfast draft but he'd fixed it. She smiled, knowing that he could fix just about anything, including her broken heart.


	5. Chapter 5, Too Good Pond

**Chapter 5:**

The kids were in the kitchen finishing their brunch. Tony had disappeared upstairs for such a long time that they had decided to just go ahead and eat. Samantha was wolfing down her third strip of bacon and already on her second cup of coffee when her dad and Angela came through the kitchen door together. Something seemed a bit different about them, she mused. They both looked exhausted, yet serene and content.

"Good morning boys and so good to finally see_ you_ here Sam." Angela greeted Samantha by placing a motherly kiss on her dark head. "How's school, Sweetheart?"

"School's a bit hard right now, Angela. I've got finals in a couple of weeks and this Statistics course is killing me. Could you have a look at some of the work with me?" Sam knew that Angela was nothing short of brilliant and used statistics all the time for advertising.

"I can't today, Honey. Your dad and I are going to _Too Good Pond_ for a walk after brunch." She gave Tony a clandestine smile. "Unless you want to wait until I get back? Or you could ask Jonathan. He's got a head for math."

"Ask me nicely, Sam and I'll help you with your homework", he said half-jokingly.

"Actually kids, could you both watch Billy today?" Tony asked the two teenagers. "Angela and I need some, um, some time alone today." He glanced at Angela meaningfully, then turned to face the two older children. "Whaddya say?"

Jonathan eagerly agreed before Sam had a chance to say no. She sighed in frustration, not wanting to be stuck babysitting and needing to finish her school work.

Tony and Angela could not have cared one bit that Sam was annoyed, for they could only think of spending the day alone with each other. They ate their cold brunch together quickly and in silence, occasionally glancing up at each other tenderly. So much had already been said. Lingering resentments and guilt had been vanquished by true forgiveness, honesty and soft caresses. Angela felt practically buoyant, a new lightness to her step. The previous distress had been melted away by Tony's kindness and unconditional acceptance of her. She was finally beginning to relax for the first time in months. She felt secure.

Tony felt like a new man. Angela had given him absolution. He was unburdened, exonerated and so very relieved. He had become so accustomed to his shame and remorse that they'd become part of him, entwined within his conscience and spirit. He hadn't realized just how deeply they'd become embedded until they'd been lifted. Now, when he breathed, his chest felt clear. The former heaviness was really, truly gone. He looked at Angela with sincere gratitude in his eyes. How could he be so lucky to have a friend like her? Her mercy had unleased new life in him and he vowed to himself that he would_ never_ let her down. She beamed back at him, her eyes alight with affection.

The memory of his tears and remorse moved her. The memory of his warm hands on her bare back and his kisses in her hair galvanised her. He'd kissed her gently on the lips. He'd seen her exposed. He'd placed his hand on her belly in a gesture of acceptance. She'd had an entire conversation with him, while clad only in white cotton undies. That recollection discomfited her a bit because she was by nature a very modest person. But somehow, it had seemed right. Baring her soul to him, unburdening the pain she'd felt in her heart while uncovered both literally and symbolically. It hadn't been sexual, she pondered, yet the attraction she felt to him was very intense.

Unbeknownst to them, Tony and Angela made quite a picture sitting there at the kitchen table, giving each other goofy smiles and shy glances. Samantha nudged Jonathan inclining her head towards their parents and then towards the living room door. He looked at them, eyebrows raised in surprise and quickly exited to give them privacy. Billy followed them.

"Whoa, did you see that?!" Samantha exclaimed. "What have I missed since I've been gone? Are they sleeping . . . ", she looked down at Billy and abruptly shut herself up, but looked up at Jonathan questioningly.

He just shrugged and shook his head. "I have no idea. I don't think so but then again, they wouldn't tell _me_."

"Really Jonathan. You'd have to be _told_? Those two have it bad. Didn't you notice how starry-eyed they were just now? And why did it take Dad half an hour to go get Angela? Makes you wonder what they were doing." Samantha smiled happily, very glad to babysit if it helped Dad and Angela get their relationship sorted out. She'd been dreaming of their wedding for years.

As soon as they were done eating, Tony and Angela got into the Cherokee and headed out to the nature reserve. Tony had packed hot chocolate in a thermos, a couple of sandwiches and some fruit. It was a beautiful day, crisp and cool, with the heady scent of late autumn in the air. The previous day's rain and wind had strewn soggy piles of dead leaves all over the road, but they were starting to dry in the bright midday sun. Angela leaned back into the passenger seat, relaxing while Tony drove them. Smooth jazz played on the radio as the jeep continued along the nearly deserted country road. Heavy winds had blown yesterday's clouds right out of the sky leaving only a deep blue expanse. Angela opened her window and inhaled the wonderful perfume of a New England autumn. She filled her lungs with it and enjoyed the scenery. Tony watched her approvingly and asked her if she was up for a good hike or just a short stroll. He didn't want to drag a pregnant woman up hills or into caves but an easy walk would give them the perfect opportunity to talk and enjoy each other's company. Angela shrugged and told Tony she'd be fine as long as they stayed on a path. They pulled into the reserve's parking lot, got out of the car and headed out together on foot.

They started out in silence, just admiring the breathtaking view. The nature reserve, nicknamed _Too Good Pond_ by some, was composed of dense trees encircling a large pond. Wild ducks and geese flocked there and made their nests in the reeds. Visitors could stay on the designated foot paths, walking around the entire pond, or head off into the trees and nearby caves. The first time Angela had brought Tony and Samantha here in the fall of 1984, the two Brooklyn-ites had been stunned by the scale of so much natural beauty, mere minutes away from their new home. It had felt as though they were miles away from anywhere, with only trees and wildlife surrounding them. And it became a place they returned to again and again, with the kids, over the years.

They crunched through the leaves, strolling at a leisurely pace, looking out at the deep blue water. Angela sighed happily and stopped to observe a couple of ducks swim by. Tony thought back to yesterday's flight in the rain and was so very grateful that this was a new day. What a difference a day could make, he mused. While she looked on at the birds, he came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. They were the only two people here. She held onto his arms and leaned back into him, enjoying the sensation of his hard chest and warm sweater at her back.

"That was some morning we had, wasn't it?" He murmured into her hair.

She turned around in his arms so she could face him. Their faces were only inches apart and she could feel his warm breath in the chilly air. She snuggled up against him, arms folded against herself. He wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on her head. The sound of the breeze rustling through the late autumn leaves was interspersed by the occasional bird squawking in the distance.

"No kidding. _You_ had quite the view." She quipped sardonically.

"Angela, I wasn't spyin' on you. You know that, right? I was worried 'cause you were sick and then . . . ", he trailed off. "Yeah, it was quite the view", he sighed thinking of her long, lean limbs, feminine curves, perky . . . Angela interrupted his reverie by abruptly pulling out of his arms. "Tony, you just _stood there_ staring at me! Why didn't you turn around?" She was a bit puzzled by this, but not angry anymore.

He wasn't sure how to answer her. He couldn't very well tell her that he'd been physically incapacitated by intense desire. Instead he whispered ever so quietly into her ear; so subtly that she almost mistook it for the breeze, "You're so beautiful." She blushed and pretended to examine her fingernail, not wanting him to see her flushed face. He thought her body was beautiful? She basked in the praise and decided to drop the subject, for now.

Tony spoke again, wanting to get serious now. "Angela, I want you to know that I'm here for you and the baby. Whatever you need, you can count on me." She knew that his offer was sincere.

"Thank you, Tony. Since this poor kid has a _sperm donor_ instead of a father, we're definitely going to take you up on that. Did I tell you that he's refusing to let me put his name on the birth certificate? I'm going to have to list the child's father as _unknown_." Angela was imagining the looks the nurses would give her when she filled that out and shuddered.

"You don't have to put that down, Angela!" Tony moved her away to arm's length so that he could look at her. "If he wants to terminate his parental rights, then fine but that doesn't mean your baby should be fatherless." Tony was incensed that Andy could purposefully hurt an innocent baby. In his outrage, he simply blurted out, "Put my name on that certificate, Angela!"

Angela was astounded; her mouth simply dropped as she searched for some coherent words. "You . . . you want to be my baby's legal father?" She practically whispered the words; powerful words that could change all of their lives.

In truth, Tony had surprised himself with his offer. He was emotional and sometimes had a tendency to speak before thinking. But he'd heard himself and the offer made sense. So he reiterated it. "Yes. We'll raise this baby together with Billy. I'm not going anywhere, Angela."

****to be continued****


	6. Chapter 6, Baby Daddy

**Chapter 6:**

"Tony, do you realize what you're saying?" Angela didn't want Tony to get in over his head just because of strong emotions. She looked at him intently, searching for signs of regret on his face. She was also wondering if his offer extended to her receiving the Micelli name as well.

"I know what I said, Angela. Yes, you can put my name down on the birth certificate and I'll raise the baby with you. The kid needs a dad and it's obvious that Andy's not stepping up."

Still unsure of what this offer would entail, Angela hesitated and didn't answer him right away. Tony looked at her, wondering why she didn't jump up at his proposal with great enthusiasm. She was lost in her thoughts, clearly debating something in her mind.

"Angela?" he began, "you do want your baby to have a father, don't you? It makes sense, don't you think? Me living there with you, taking care of the new baby and Billy, not to mention the two teenagers we have between us already." Angela's silence was starting to make Tony feel uncomfortable. Now he was wondering if he'd overstepped big time. Maybe Angela didn't want her baby to be a Micelli. Maybe she didn't want the kid's old man to be a housekeeper. He suddenly felt extremely self-conscious about his social status.

Angela looked up at him and noticed that he was uneasy now. She felt a bit awkward too and wasn't sure what to say to him. She bit her bottom lip, and decided to ask him the question that was foremost on her mind, "Tony, what exactly would that mean for _us_? If you become my baby's father?" She had to address the big elephant sitting between them—the one that had been such a huge part of their lives for years.

"What do you mean, Angela?" Tony was unsure how she wanted him to answer. He needed to maintain a boundary but also be there for her. It was a fine line to walk; a line that had itself moved over the last six years but was still nonetheless very important for them to respect. In spite of himself, he smiled thinking that this morning alone had changed that line's boundaries quite significantly.

Angela wasn't quite sure how to express herself so she simply stated her true thoughts. "Well Tony, I'm thinking back to our conversation in Jamaica", Angela stopped mid-sentence, hesitant to continue for fear of being too confrontational with him. The last thing she wanted to do was scare him away.

"Oh that", he replied. This discussion wasn't exactly going where he'd expected. Revisiting Jamaica wasn't on his list of top ten things to do with Angela. He'd put the brakes on their relationship, hard and fast that day, preventing them from careening towards disaster. His mind replayed the passionate kiss they'd shared in Jamaica and his fear that they'd slip into a sexual relationship while he worked for her. He'd wanted her badly and knew she'd wanted him too but the timing was terrible. He didn't have anything to offer her then, and he still didn't, he realized sadly. Perhaps his suggestion today had been precipitous. "Look Angela, I don't graduate until next year so for now, I'm not ready to figure **_us_** out. I want to give you more than I can right now, and you _know_ that matters to me. When I've got my degree and a teaching job, I'll be in a better position to . . . well you know." He did not really know but hoped she understood the gist of it. He took her hand, looked into her eyes explaining as clearly as he could, "I'd be proud to be that baby's dad; I really mean that. If I've overstepped, then I'm sorry. No matter what, you are my best friend and I never want to lose that._ Ever_. After I graduate, then maybe we can re-evaluate things. Is that OK, Angela?" His deep brown eyes searched hers for answers.

Tony looked so worried that Angela simply squeezed his hand and reassured him, "Tony, you'll never lose my friendship. Ever. You didn't overstep at all. I'd also be proud for you to be this baby's dad. I can't think of anybody who would make a better dad than you. This baby's very lucky to have you." She smiled at him but it didn't reach her eyes. While the baby was lucky to have him, she herself felt a bit unwanted at the moment. Why was he always stopping things between them? She longed to tell him how much she loved him but the fear of rejection was still too great. She should be thankful that he'd be in it with her for the long haul and that her baby would have a loving dad. She'd content herself with that, for now. But she wasn't feeling very relaxed about it. In her current condition, she certainly wasn't in a position to force things between them. She didn't want to scare him away so she just did what she always did; let him lead and followed along silently.

Back at the house, the kids were on their 8th consecutive round of _Candy Land_ and Billy was winning. So far, they'd taken him to the park, fed him again and then started playing the mind-numbing children's board game. Sam yawned and stretched. She really did need to do her homework, now. She was also wondering when Dad and Angela would get back and what might be going on with them. She'd speculated about their relationship for years but this morning had seemed different somehow.

"Hey Billy, how about you go play with your toys now?" Jonathan could see that Sam was getting bored and restless. "You can have my Lego. Go ahead. Take it upstairs and make me something cool!" Billy happily scrambled to pick up the box of Lego and headed upstairs, leaving the two teenagers by themselves in the living room.

"Come on Sam. Show me that math stuff you need help with", Jonathan offered.

"You really think you can help me with a college course, Jon?" She asked doubtfully on her way to the kitchen. She opened up her books and sat down to begin. Jonathan took a quick look at the homework questions and smiled. Easy sailing, he thought to himself. He didn't want to appear arrogant about it so he simply explained it as straightforwardly as he could to her, using plenty of examples she could draw from. Samantha chewed her pencil, looking a bit confused at first but then a flash of understanding registered in her eyes. Jonathan watched her pink lips form an "O" when she truly grasped the assignment. He was extremely pleased with himself.

"Thanks! I get it now. So, how come you know so much about college Statistics?" She was curious.

"I'm in the accelerated program too, Sam. And since I skipped the sixth grade, I'll be applying to college next year. Aiming for pre-med" he boasted.

"Really? So soon?" She seemed surprised.

"Soon? Nah, not really. Soon is getting engaged to a guy you just met during your summer vacation. That's soon." _Why was he bringing this up_? It had been bothering him but now he wished he'd just kept his mouth shut. No use ruining a good moment between them but it was out there now.

"That's none of your business!" Samantha exclaimed angrily, her dark eyes flashing at him. "What do you know? You're only fifteen!" There, a jab back at him.

_None of his business! If only she knew how much he thought about her; fretted about this whole Matt cowboy situation. How could she waste herself on this guy? If only he was eighteen too. _

"Oh because in the three years you've got on me, you've suddenly got life figured out, _O Wise One_?" This wasn't going well. _Crap crap crap,_ now she was really angry. Once started though, he couldn't back down. He realized that a fight with Samantha was a test of bravery and stupidity. So he might as well use both and try to win! "You're way too young, Sam. Don't you want to get a career, figure out your life, make goals and plans and enjoy the next few years? Hey maybe you'll marry a nice, rich doctor one day. Beats a cowboy." _~pause~_ Samantha looked at him oddly then, trying to figure out where this was coming from.

"What's it to you?" she slammed her textbook closed and started packing up her knapsack. She'd gotten enough flack for her teen engagement already and didn't need Jonathan starting in on her too.

"It matters to me because I lo . . . I . . . I think you're being an **_idiot_** and you're making the stupidest decision of your life!" Not quite what he was truly feeling but he wasn't going to let her in on_ that_ secret.

She turned around slowly, fury distorting her beautiful features. Her nose flared, her eyes blazed and she let him have it. Like she'd never let him have it before. He'd gone too far this time.

Tony and Angela entered the house to the sounds of their children screaming at each other, hurling insults, getting louder and louder. Alarmed, they raced to the kitchen and found the kids having the worst fight they'd ever seen in six years. A ceramic bowl lay shattered at Jonathan's feet—it had clearly been hurled at him. A Statistics textbook was lying beside the fridge, its spine cracked and two very angry teenagers looked like they were about to kill each other. Tony grabbed Samantha just as she was about to lunge at the younger boy. "Ay-Oh. Oh-Ay. What is going on here?" Tony thundered, stunning the kids into silence. "Where's Billy?" Angela was concerned.

"Upstairs", Sam muttered feeling rather ashamed suddenly. She'd almost decked Jonathan. Not that the little worm didn't deserve it, she fumed.

Angela just looked horrified and bent down to pick up the damaged textbook. She and Tony had been ready to announce the pregnancy to them but now, she had serious doubts about telling them today.

"Mind telling us what you two were fighting about? I thought we'd resolved this fighting issue with the shrink a few months ago! Sibling rivalry, blah blah blah. None of that sink in?" Tony was furious with them. He couldn't believe they'd acted this way, nearly coming to blows?

"We're not siblings", Jonathan stated. Hurt and anger brewed in his large hazel eyes. He appeared to be on the verge of tears.

"Yeah, that's for sure. Wouldn't want to be related to you!" Sam retorted rudely.

"Enough!" Tony roared. "You two may not be aware but a social worker is coming next week to check up on Billy's status here. You think your behaviour is gonna help anything? I want to know what this fight was about. NOW!" he demanded.

_Silence_. The kids looked at their feet for a moment and then Samantha spoke up. "Dad, he called me an idiot for getting engaged." She shot Jonathan a dirty look.

"An idiot?" Angela didn't like that one bit, even if she agreed that Sam's engagement was a bad idea.

Jonathan said nothing. He wasn't going to denigrate Sam at all. He just kept quiet, waiting for the inevitable fallout. Great, he'd called the girl he loved an idiot. Why was he so stupid sometimes? He wanted to kick himself, hard.

"Is this true, Jonathan?" Tony questioned him. At that moment, Tony looked a bit scary so Jonathan just nodded and continued to stare at his socks.

Sam wondered why he just stood there not saying anything. He was supposed to accuse her now. Why wasn't he playing by the book? Say something, she thought. Now she was going to look like the bad guy.

Tony and Angela looked at each other, unsure what to say or do next. While the kids had had many squabbles over the years, this seemed different and more serious. They were in unchartered territory.

Jonathan finally spoke, "I'm sorry Sam. Really, truly, I am. I shouldn't have insulted you or told you what to do with your life." With that, he took off to his room.

In order to avoid a lecture from her dad, Sam quickly gathered her things and took off for the dorm. So much for a relaxing family Sunday, she thought to herself.

"Wait, Samantha", Tony called out to his daughter but the only answer was the door closing behind her.

"What the hell was that?" Angela wondered aloud. A headache was forming at the base of her skull. She looked to Tony for guidance. But he was as appalled as she was. Their children, fighting like that. What had happened? This bad of a fight had never happened. He sat down and gestured for Angela to join him at the kitchen table.

"I can't believe what we just walked in on", Angela was at a complete loss on this one.

Tony had some ideas of his own but he wasn't ready to share them. "Let's just say it's a good thing that Sam moved out when she did and be glad no social worker witnessed that."

"Tony, are we bad parents?" Angela was worrying now.

"No, Angela. We are not bad parents. Sheesh. We threw two kids together and expected them to suddenly become brother and sister. Except they're not. They're not from the same background, station in life or anything! And they see us, Angela. They see us and we probably confuse the hell out of them. What are we to them? I'm not Jonathan's dad and you're not Sam's mom. I work for you. We're not married. How can we expect everything to suddenly fall into place with them and not encounter conflict?" He shook his head and took a deep breath.

"Yeah, but Tony. They've always gotten along before, for the most part anyway." She was completely taken aback by the entire situation.

"No, they haven't, Angela. Remember the shrink? It was only a few months ago."

"Yes but that was just a bit of sibling rivalry. This was a war!"

"Same stuff, unresolved. We haven't been addressing certain issues with our kids. Maybe we've deluded ourselves into thinking that we've offered them the perfect childhood. But it is weird for them, Angela. It's gotta be. Think about it. Sam has always tried to fit in with the other kids at school, striving to be at accepted. Pretending. Finally, she_ is_ one of them. Brooklyn girl gone." He looked to see if she understood.

"Isn't that what you wanted for her? She's accomplished so much." Angela couldn't see where the problem was. She was so proud of Samantha, her surrogate daughter.

"It was. It is. It's just a bit phony . . . how we did it all. Throw Jonathan's adolescent hormones into the mixture and you've got a bomb waiting to go off."

"Hormones? What are you talking about?" She felt as though Tony's thoughts had taken off at warp speed in one direction and she was still at the starting line.

"Never mind, Angela." Why start upsetting her now. "Are you alright? Do you want some tea?" He needed to concentrate on them now. On the conversation they'd had today. He wanted to reassure her, not get her thinking about things she couldn't change.

"Tony, so much for telling them about the baby today. Yikes." Perhaps she was a bit relieved on that count. It wasn't going to be an easy discussion for sure.

Tony didn't answer. He was lost in his own thoughts again, somewhere in his own little world. He seemed to be debating something with himself; something that Angela wasn't privy to. After a few long moments of deliberation, Tony suddenly stood up, a determined look on his face. He took Angela's hand and pulled her up to him.

"Angela, I think we should get married." Tony wanted to fix the problems in his family. Family was everything, after all. Graduation be damned. No point waiting. Not when the kids' relationship was starting to disintegrate. He needed to pull this family together, now. Make it a true family; make the kids step-siblings for real before this escalated again. Heck, adopt Billy and make sure the new baby was legitimate. It made sense. He'd graduate soon enough.

For the third time in one day, Angela was stunned and speechless. Where had this come from? Married? But Tony hadn't even told her he loved her. What kind of proposal was this? She had absolutely no idea how to answer him. If this was a marriage proposal, it was the least romantic, most unexpected one to ever exist. She stared at him, wondering if he was joking.

"Come on, Angela. What do you say?"


	7. Chapter 7, The Proposal

**Chapter 7:**

"What do I say to what?" Angela felt as though Tony had pulled the rug out from under her and was now expecting her to tap dance on her head. "You said you wanted to make tea?" She was still reeling, and wondering if perhaps she'd just hallucinated Tony's bungled marriage proposal.

"Tea, Angela? Tea? I'm not talking about tea", he leaned close to her and spoke softly this time, "You heard me. I think we should get married." He looked at her expectantly.

So she hadn't imagined him saying that. She opened her mouth to speak, closed it again, stared at him and moved over to the sink to look out the window. She'd missed Tony's leap in logic somewhere along the line, wondering if she'd entered a parallel universe of sorts. How could she answer? Of course she wanted to marry him but first she needed declarations of undying love and adoration, a courtship, a proper engagement . . . she needed normal. Angela took a deep breath and turned around to face him.

"Tony, not two hours ago you were telling me that you hadn't figured **_us_** out yet and that you wanted to wait until graduation before exploring things. So, why are you suddenly saying we should get married? It makes absolutely no sense!" Maybe the Invasion of the Body Snatchers, she thought.

"I know I changed my mind but you see, you see, it's the kids. That fight got me thinking that those two kids need to be in a real family structure. And not just them. It'll be so much easier to adopt Billy if we're married. And now with a baby on the way . . . it'll pull this family together, Angela. We've agreed to me being your baby's father—that's huge to me and _this family_ is everything to me. Graduation is soon enough, if you don't mind being married to a college student for a few months." Tony had changed his tune and fully expected Angela to see it his way now.

"It doesn't matter to me that you're a college student; you know that. But are you saying that you want to get married for the sake of the children?" She might as well know his true intentions.

"Yeah, Angela. Don't you think it would be good for them?" He thought he'd made a good case.

"Tony, while I'm sure it would be good for them . . . I'm not so sure it would be good for_**us**_." How could he proffer marriage without love?

"You're not?" He asked genuinely surprised. "But Angela, you were just asking me about **_us_** this afternoon. I'm making a decision now. Isn't this what you wanted?" Tony started worrying about that invisible boundary between them. Had he stomped it to death just now? Angela didn't appear particularly happy with his proposal.

"Tony, the children aren't enough of a reason for two people to get married. What about you, Tony . . . do you even want to be married to me? Do you love me?" She needed to know the truth, even if it had the power to rip her heart out.

Angela was bracing herself for a potentially painful response, when Mona suddenly swept into the kitchen along with a cold gust of wind. "Hi, hi, anybody miss me?"

Tony and Angela jumped away from each other, startled by Mona's dramatic entrance.

Mona took in the scene; she had clearly walked in on some heavy duty drama. And she was going to get front row seats. "So, what's new?" she chirped nonchalantly as she sat down, watching them closely.

"Now's not a good time, Mother!" Angela kept her eyes on Tony.

"_Hi Mona. How are you? I'm fine. Really, I'm fine. Where was I today, you ask? If you must know, I spent the day with Barry but ended up dumping him. Oh, you're sorry, you say? It's OK really. He was sort of a loser_." Nobody was listening to Mona's rambling monologue. Tony and Angela appeared to be locked in a challenge of sorts; the air was heavy with tension and Mona wanted to know why.

"Everything alright here, you two? Why do I feel as though I've missed something important?" Mona figured the direct approach would work better than hints this time.

Tony turned to look at Mona's inquisitive expression, turned back to Angela's apprehensive one and did the only thing a guy can do when two women are pressing him for answers. He stepped outside to get a breath of fresh air. If Angela was going to question his motives and his love for her, then maybe they weren't ready to be married. He couldn't understand why she wouldn't simply jump into his arms. He'd explained it to her, hadn't he? She'd already accepted him as the baby's father and this was the next logical step. Tony leaned back against his jeep, shaking his head. Where had he gone wrong?

In the kitchen, Mona wanted answers from her daughter. Angela took one look at her mother and knew what was coming, so she did the only thing a daughter can do when her mother is about to make inquiries about her personal life; she quickly exited the room and went upstairs. Mona found herself all alone in the kitchen, wondering why there was a broken ceramic bowl on the floor. She looked outside and saw Tony leaning up against his jeep, a forlorn look on his handsome face. Perhaps he'd give her the low down on what she'd missed today.

"Hey there. Mind telling me what's going on?" Mona sidled up beside Tony, nudging him with her hip.

"Hi Mone. Rough day. We came home and found the kids having a really nasty fight. I'm just trying to fix things . . . there's so much going on . . . ", he sighed deeply and continued looking up at the sky, lost in his own thoughts.

"Does that broken bowl have anything to do with the kids' fight?" she asked.

"I think Samantha threw it at Jonathan. It was bad, Mona. It almost came to blows. Not really sure what happened but from the little bit we got out of them, Jonathan insulted Sam because of her engagement and she went off on him, hard. Things aren't so smooth between them these days anymore." He exhaled hard, nostalgically remembering when the kids were little and still played together.

"Doesn't help that Jonathan worships the ground Samantha floats on. This engagement is probably killing him right now." Mona stated.

"Ah-ha. You're right Mona! That's what I was thinking too. Angela doesn't have a clue. Then again, she's busy with her own things to worry about now." He gauged Mona's reaction, assuming she knew about the baby. He looked at her questioningly and waited for her to confirm it.

"So, did you figure it out or did she tell you?"

"Well Mona, let's just say that all of your talk about babies and family last night got me thinking. And Angela was throwing up this morning." He looked at her and decided to tell her the rest of it. "I offered to be the baby's legal father and Angela agreed."

That was better news than Mona could have even hoped for today. "You're a good man, Tony! Angela is very lucky to have you. I can't think of a better father for my grandchild", she exclaimed joyfully and squeezed him arm affectionately.

"Yeah but Mona, she didn't agree to have _me_! I proposed and she said that the kids weren't enough of a reason to get married. That's when you walked in." He looked dejected now.

"Tony? You didn't _tell _her that you wanted to marry her because of the_ children_, did you?" How could men be so dense? Mona shook her head at Tony's cluelessness.

"I may have mentioned the kids as a good reason. Not just the baby but the older kids too. They need stability, Mona. And if we adopt Billy, it'll be a lot easier. Besides, just today, Angela was asking me about **_us_**. I wasn't sure earlier but now I am. I want to marry her, but she didn't say yes. Mona, what do I do?" Tony looked so pathetic that Mona didn't have the heart to slap him upside the head. Instead she decided to inform him of his stupidity.

"Tony, you don't tell a woman that you're marrying her for any reason other than love!" She hit his arm to emphasize her point.

"Ow! Mona! Heyyy!" Tony grabbed his sore arm. "Angela knows I love her. She's gotta know. It goes without saying."

"No, Tony. It does not. You have to say it. You have to tell her and then you have to show her. Angela is crazy about you. But she also worries that you don't feel the same way. When it comes to you, Tony, Angela is living one big geek flashback! You have to convince her of your love, Tony. And you'd better be very persuasive." What was the matter with these two? It drove Mona crazy watching them trapped in this circular dance that led to nowhere. Time for some straight-talk! Sometimes she wanted to grab both of their heads and smash them together hoping to knock sense into them.

Upstairs, Angela was trying to talk to her son about the fight but he was less than forthcoming.

"Sweetheart, I just don't understand why you needed to call Samantha names. You two are much too old for that sort of thing now." Jonathan was completely miserable; head in his pillow, desperately wishing that his mom would leave him alone already. He wasn't talking at all.

Angela was just about to give up when he suddenly sat up and asked her point blank, "Mom, why did Andy write you a cheque for ten grand? I found it on the foyer desk last night." He neglected to tell her that he'd shown this cheque to Tony and Samantha as well.

Oh God, the cheque! Angela had completely forgotten about it and left it abandoned on the desk for anybody to find it. She didn't want Andy's money and was planning to destroy the cheque. But now her son wanted answers. "Jonathan, Andy wrote that cheque for a reason but I'm not going to cash it. His motives weren't honourable at all. He was trying to pay me off." How could she tell him?

"Pay you off, Mom? What does that even mean?" Curiosity distracted Jonathan from his current state of utter wretchedness.

Angela looked down at her son's bedspread; its familiar Star Wars design. He was still so much a child, yet she could see the man he was becoming more and more every day. Could he handle this news? Regardless, she had to tell him. He was going to be a big brother soon. "Honey, adults make mistakes and sometimes there are consequences to deal with", she looked into his eyes, hoping he wouldn't judge her too harshly. "I'm pregnant", there, it was out. No point beating around the bush with her uber-perceptive son.

Jonathan looked at his mother in shock. She was pregnant? At her age? With Andy's baby? "Oh" was all he could say. Then, "Mom, does Tony know? What if he leaves?" Oddly her son had the same fears about abandonment that she had had. Michael had left some residual damage on both of them there.

"Honey, don't worry. Tony isn't going anywhere. He's very supportive and kind. He's offered to be the baby's legal father since Andy wants nothing to do with us. Tony will be raising this baby, but more than that, he'll be giving the baby his name." She reassured her son by squeezing his shoulder.

Tony had come upstairs looking for Angela a few moments earlier; now he stood quietly outside Jonathan's bedroom door, listening. Not eavesdropping, mind you. This concerned him, so it could be referred to as _listening_. He needed to know where Angela's thoughts were at.

"Does that mean that you guys getting married?" Jonathan sounded slightly horrified at the thought, his own selfish desires blocking out any other attitude. _Please don't let Sam become my step-sister. _

"I don't know, Sweetheart. He did ask, but it was quite unexpected. I'm not sure it's what he really wants. I think he was being noble. He and I are going to discuss it further, but he's not going anywhere. He promised me that. So don't worry."

Tony made his presence known then, "It is what I really want, Angela. I want you. Do you understand?" He looked at her imploringly then. Jonathan saw the expression on Tony's face and felt his own adolescent fantasies about Tony's daughter shatter before him with a stomach-churning crash. If ever Jonathan had wanted to disappear, it was now while observing Mom and Tony all misty-eyed for each other. Could he hide under his bed?

"Uh guys? Do you want to be alone?" He reminded them of his presence as he ducked out of his room as unobtrusively as possible and shut the door behind him.

Tony came and knelt in front of Angela where she sat on the Star Wars themed bedspread. He appeared a bit sheepish now but determined as well.

"You know how I feel about you, don't you Angela?" Tony wasn't very adept at expressing his emotions to her; all the years of self-denial and holding back had made him uncertain in that area.

"I know you care about me, Tony. I know you care a lot." She didn't want to assume more.

"More than that, Angela. You're my best friend; the woman I share my life with. You mean so much to me. Don't you know?" He looked up at her and got up to sit beside her on the bed. He was scared to say it; so scared. Maybe he could show her instead. She was looking at him intently, waiting . . . her eyes warm and encouraging, her lips slightly parted, inviting. He touched his hand to her cheek and gently stroked her soft skin. He placed his other hand behind her neck and ever so slowly, pulled her towards him, giving her plenty of time to back out. But she leaned into him and closed the distance between them. Their lips met, softly at first, their kiss shy and hesitant. He pulled back to look at her and saw only reassurance in her face. The second kiss was bolder. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back unreservedly. Her lips parted and he deepened the kiss; she was pulling him towards her now and running her hands through his hair. She couldn't get enough of him, the feel of his hand on her neck, or was it her back now? She lost track of time, knowing only him in that moment—his scent, the rough stubble of his chin, the pressure of his lips, the feel of his body so close, and his tongue entwining with hers. Tony. Her Tony. She tried to convey her love for him through the kiss, increasing the intensity of it, trying to imbibe her senses with him completely. He held her tightly now, one hand on her shoulder blade and the other in her hair, kissing her like he'd only dreamed of doing.

When they finally came up air, breathless and flushed, Tony decided to take his chances. "Well Angela, what do you say to my proposal now?" Tony felt she couldn't refuse him now.

Angela blinked. His proposal propelled her back to reality—the reality that mere hours ago at the pond, Tony had not been ready to discuss their relationship. Later it had been his thoughts of the children that had spurred him to propose. She so desperately did want to marry him but he still hadn't told her he loved her. She knew that he wasn't ready and she wasn't about to let him make decisions that could carry regrets later on.

"Tony, I think that your proposal is very sweet and it means so much to me that you value our family so highly. But I think you need to remember what you told me at the pond today. I think we should hold off and revisit this discussion after your graduation. I just don't want you to regret anything. We shouldn't make a momentous decision like this during a crisis situation. We need to take our time." Angela looked into his eyes and saw the perceptible disappointment in them. But after the wringer of a weekend they'd just had, she knew this was the right answer for him.

"But Angela, won't the baby be born before I graduate?" Tony didn't like the idea of the baby being illegitimate. He did concede, however, that Angela had made a good point about not making rash decisions during stressful times.

She smiled. It was so sweet and old fashioned of him to worry about the baby. "Tony, it's fine. The baby will be born into a loving home and won't care whether or not we have a marriage certificate. I really want _you_ to be sure. You need to concentrate on your studies and finish school before you make any other major decisions. I'm not going anywhere and neither are you. Maybe we can say that we're pre-engaged to discuss an engagement at a later date?" She wanted him to have hope and maintain his pride, of course. And she certainly wanted him to know that she expected them to re-examine this very issue as soon as he had his college degree. She leaned over to give him a hug and suddenly heard her stomach rumble loudly. It made them both laugh, lightening the moment and making them realize that no matter what, they were quite the pair.

"Come on Angela. I'm not going to deprive a pregnant woman of her supper." They walked downstairs, his arm around her shoulder, laughing softly.

Jonathan and Billy saw them come down the stairs, looking like a couple very much in love. No engagement was announced but Jonathan figured it was just a matter of time for them. Whatever they'd been up to in his room had made them giddy and moony. _Ugh, in his bedroom_. They were planning to raise a baby together—that made them just as good as married.

During dinner, he pushed the food around on his plate, his thoughts were jumbled and confused. He loved Tony like a dad and wanted his mom to be happy, but the deep feelings he harboured for Sam were not brotherly in the least anymore. He'd tried, pretended, faked it and hidden it. He'd heard about gay men being in the closet. Well he was in his own closet of hell right now. He wanted to throw up. He couldn't pinpoint exactly when the feelings had turned from friendship and sibling-type affection to love. Probably when she'd worn that pink bikini, or maybe when he'd watched her apply her lipstick so slowly and carefully that it had made him gasp with sudden, surprising desire. That had ruined everything. One day, he'd suddenly become very muddled when talking to her and he'd felt his legs turn rubbery every time she came near him. He became jealous of every boy she dated. This summer, he'd gone off and cried by himself for two hours straight when she'd become engaged. He didn't want to feel this way. He would have given anything to fall for one of the girls in his class. Quite a few of them liked him, actually. But this was what he was stuck with and it was a torture he resented and relished at the same time.

That night, after everybody had gone to bed, Jonathan snuck back downstairs to make a phone call. It was 1am in Connecticut so only 10pm in L.A.

"Dad? Hi, it's me. Dad, I think I'd like to move out to L.A. and live with you for a bit. Is that OK with you?"


	8. Chapter 8, Michael's Visit

**Chapter 8:**

**_Author's Note:_**_ How are you liking my story so far? Please read and review. . this is my first attempt at creative writing since school! Let me know if you want me to continue. Thanks!_

December arrived gently like a lamb but roared out like a lion, leaving the members of the Bower/Micelli household somewhat shaken. It started with the social worker who came to check on Billy's status. Tony and Angela thought they'd lost Billy; the poor kid had been passed around like a parcel between family members that day. But all was well in the end when the social worker realized that Billy was upstairs, did have a good home and had loving people taking care of him; they just needed to communicate better about Billy's whereabouts and feed the preschooler less junk food—the vomit on his shoes confirmed that!

Tony and Angela breathed a sigh of relief when the social worker left, saying he'd put in a good recommendation for them. Life pretty much returned back to normal then.

Angela's pregnancy continued to progress well; fatigue and nausea making her cut back her hours at the Bower Agency for the first time since she'd founded it. Jack took on more creative responsibilities and she delegated some of the decision making to her VP. Tony loudly and insistently encouraged her in this direction, not wanting her to overdo it. Seeing her fall asleep on the couch every night after dinner, her glasses still on her face, files and folders strewn across her lap made him shake his head with concern. Every evening, he tried to get her to go to bed early but she always protested, saying she had work to look over. Whatever work she must have been reviewing couldn't compete with the sheer exhaustion of pregnancy; she inevitably conked out and had to be woken up again and sent to bed with admonitions to at least get into her PJ's earlier next time.

They'd announced the pregnancy to all of the family members by then. Samantha had been stunned at first but was extremely relieved that her dad was going to be responsible and stand by Angela. At this point, she was counting on a wedding, knowing her dad was just waiting to graduate. She considered herself a big sister-to-be and took her role seriously. She clucked around Angela like a worried hen, making sure she took her prenatal vitamins, got enough calcium and rest. The mysteries of pregnancy also fascinated her and she was forever asking Angela questions about her experience and feeling her belly. Billy was excited for about two minutes and then his attention became distracted elsewhere. Like any five-year-old, the dilemmas and dramas of adults didn't interest him much.

Neighbours, friends and co-workers were now aware of Angela's pregnancy; her little baby bump was definitely showing. Everybody assumed that Tony was the father—the neighbourhood gossips were thrilled to have been proven right. Smug, self-righteous Joanne Parker was the loudest in announcing, "I told you so" to anybody and everybody in Fairfield. Tony and Angela decided that Tony's role of father began right away, so he accepted the title of "dad" and stoically tried to ignore the gossip. Angela wasn't bothered by it at all but Tony felt a bit embarrassed about still being a housekeeper while supposedly having knocked up his own boss. It was a strange arrangement but they knew the truth and where they were going. They simply had to let the vulgar comments roll off their backs. They'd heard worse over the years.

Tony and Angela settled back into the status quo of their muddled, somewhat romantic, friendly relationship. They had been teetering on the line of friendship to love and back again so often that this wobbly business left them both in need of the predictable and familiar routines that had defined their special friendship for years. But their connection was deeper and unwavering now. Tony absolutely considered himself to be the baby's father. He'd made a promise to Angela and once made, it was set in stone. In his heart, he was going to be a father. If enduring the likes of Joanne and other rumor mongers was the downside, everything else about becoming a dad was amazing to him. He was excited about the pregnancy, acting like any expectant father. He bought the books on pregnancy, lectured Angela about her stress levels and asked her how she was feeling. He gave her more frequent hugs, more confident kisses on the cheek and patted her slowly growing belly affectionately. He was gently courting her, bringing her little gifts of luxury—some Shea butter cream to rub on her belly, a plush beige teddy bear for the baby-to-be, a regular supply of his homemade walnut fudge brownies, and foot rubs while they watched TV together. He was sweet, attentive and exactly what she needed the most right now. She couldn't have known just how much until the week before Christmas. By then, Angela was well into her second trimester and starting to feel better; the morning sickness slowly abating. She was excited about the holidays and looking forward to having some extended time off work. Tony and the kids were off school for a few weeks, and Sam had even moved back in for Christmas break. Things were going quite well for the family; or so it seemed.

She was however, concerned about her son. Ever since the night when she'd announced her pregnancy to him, Jonathan had become somewhat withdrawn and sullen. She wondered if he resented her or was simply horrified that his own mother was unmarried and pregnant. He didn't say much, preferring to spend most of his time out of the house or alone in his room. His interactions with the family became shorter, silent and less frequent. Jonathan and Samantha had appeared to patch up their differences; they were polite to each other but something was off. She wondered if perhaps her son was becoming a bit depressed and made herself a mental note to book him an appointment with her psychiatrist.

Angela arrived home early from work one evening, having listened to Tony's admonitions that she catch the early train. When she came in, Michael was sitting on the living room couch flanked by Tony on one side and Jonathan on the other. As per his usual pattern, Michael had not announced this visit. The surprise of seeing her ex-husband in her living room left Angela with quite the disadvantage. She just gaped at him, stunned by his unexpected presence.

"Angela, thank goodness you're home!" The relief on Tony's anxious face when he saw her was palpable. "Look who's here! It's Michael. He just arrived from Germany." And more quietly, "_Did you know about this_?"

"What's going on? Michael? What are you doing here?" She hastily removed her winter coat and boots and walked over to him. Michael stood up to greet her; still as handsome as ever with more grey threaded through his dark hair. He leaned towards her to give her a kiss on the cheek and then stood back to look at her.

"You look wonderful, Angela. Pregnancy suits you. I suppose congratulations are in order for you and Tony, then? I always assumed you two would end up together after things didn't work out for us the second time." He smiled at her kindly; they'd parted on fairly decent terms after Michael had decided to relinquish custody of Jonathan. They also regularly spoke on the phone to discuss their son and plan his annual summer visits to California.

"Thank you, but Michael, what are you doing here?" He hadn't explained his reason for coming yet. Angela couldn't understand why Michael never announced his visits beforehand, always catching her off guard.

"Didn't Jonathan tell you I was coming? I'm on a return trip home from Munich, where I just attended a documentary filmmaker's convention. Jonathan and I planned this stop-over. He's been expecting me, to pick him up for Christmas break." Now it was Michael's turn to be surprised.

Angela looked from father to son, but Jonathan refused to meet her eye. He was very busy examining a loose thread on the couch.

"Jonathan? Is that true? You knew your father was coming? You made plans with him for Christmas without telling me?" She was stunned. This wasn't like him at all.

"You didn't tell your mother? Jonathan, you told me you'd discussed it with her. You said she couldn't come to the phone and was fine with everything." Michael reprimanded his son—the stop over to JFK from **_Flughafen München _**had been planned so that Michael would spend one night in Connecticut before he and Jonathan headed out to California first thing the next morning. Now, his plans were in a tailspin and he was exhausted from his trans-Atlantic flight and three days in a European time zone. He sat back down on the couch, put his head back on the cushion and sighed in frustration.

Tony recognized the exhaustion of a weary, sleep-deprived traveller and quickly went to the kitchen to make some coffee for Michael. Coffee and dinner, in fact. He couldn't well send Michael away when he'd just flown in from Germany to see his son. And how could Jonathan not have informed Angela about his California plans? Tony realized that Jonathan wasn't quite himself lately but this was extremely out of character for him. He shook his head wondering how Angela was going to handle this one.

Angela was distressed and worried about Jonathan. She sent him to his room so she could talk to Michael alone.

"Michael, I had no idea that you and Jonathan were making plans for the holidays. I don't know why he lied to you or neglected to tell me but he hasn't been acting like himself at all." She was just bewildered now.

"Angela, he's been phoning me on a regular basis. He's been asking to come live with me. I told him we'd try Christmas and see how that goes first. Didn't he tell you any of this? He says he needs a change of scenery and that he misses me." Michael was almost apologetic.

Angela felt her mother's heart breaking at those words. "He said he wants to live with you?" She sat down on the couch beside Michael, desperately trying to push down a wave of nausea. She swallowed hard, gripping the edge of the couch for support. Her son wanted to leave her? But why?

Now Michael felt badly—he'd just delivered a harsh blow to Angela. Her pale face registered pure hurt and anguish. He had truly believed that mother and son had planned this together and that it was healthy for a teenaged boy to want to have some independence from his mother. But not like this. Not as a shock.

"Let's go talk to him together and get this straightened out", Michael suggested. Angela appeared too upset to make any sort of parental decision at the moment.

Michael and Angela headed upstairs to their son's room and lightly tapped at the door. Jonathan opened it, surprised to find his parents together. He'd been packing his suitcase and was waiting for the inevitable fallout.

"Jonathan, how could you make these plans without telling me?" Angela was hurt.

"I'm sorry Mom. I just needed to get out for a while. I . . . I should have told you. I was going to tell you." He was remorseful but not providing any decent sort of explanation for his behaviour.

"What is it? Do you want to live with your father now? Why?"

"You wouldn't understand, Mom."

"Try me. Is it because of the baby? Are you upset about that?" Angela assumed this was the reason and felt badly for not addressing it more thoroughly with her son.

"No, it's not the baby. It's other stuff. Can we just leave it?" He wanted his mom to stop badgering him now.

"No, we can't just leave it?! Why won't you tell me? Is it school? Are you being bullied again? Is the neighbourhood gossip about Tony and me getting to you?" Her voice rose sharply, mirroring her agitation now. The mom fears were rearing up and she wouldn't let this go.

"Mom, leave it alone already! It's a girl. Just a girl. I can't handle being around her. Are you happy now?!" He breathed a sigh of relief. It was out.

"A girl? What girl? Why can't you be around her?" Angela needed more information now.

"Angela, give the kid a break. Maybe he doesn't want to talk to his _mother_ about girls. Maybe that's why he needs his dad right now." Michael tried to calm her down and then turned to his son, "You know, Jonathan, we can talk about women over Christmas-two bachelors like us, huh?" Michael was still recovering from his second divorce and really did want Jonathan to spend Christmas with him. He also realized that he didn't really know his only child that well and wanted to rectify this as soon as possible. When had his son grown so tall, so mature, so close to adulthood? He felt like he'd missed out on the whole thing and was now grasping at the remnants of his son's childhood, desperate to forge a connection.

To Angela, it was as though they were ganging up on her and she knew she wasn't going to get any more concrete answers now. Unsteadily, she made her way back downstairs to talk to Tony about the situation. Tony was in the kitchen with Sam and Billy, letting them sample bits of food he was preparing. Still reeling, Angela opened the kitchen door looking like she was about to cry. Tony took one look at her, dropped what he was doing and rushed over to give her a hug.

"What's wrong? Sweetheart, what happened?" Tony tried to soothe her. He knew she was more prone to emotional outbursts because of the pregnancy.

"Tony, he's leaving! Jonathan is going to California and he didn't even tell me. He wants to go live with his father. I didn't know", she sniffled, trying to hold back her tears in front of the other children. The effort made her hiccup.

"He what? But why?" Tony was dumbfounded too. He and Angela simply clung to each other, in shock.

"I don't know. I don't know", she was crying into his neck now. "He's going for Christmas but what if he doesn't want to come back? I can't force him, Tony. He says there's _a girl _that he can't handle being around. A girl! I don't know what girl! He's a young man now and Michael has a right to spend time with him. He's not eight years old anymore. I can't deprive him of wanting to be with his own father, can I?" She wasn't ready for this at all. There'd been no warning or discussion. She recognized how miserable Jonathan had been lately and she was worried about him. Maybe his father would be good for him now, but she just wasn't ready to let go.

Samantha and Billy just listened and stared in absolute silence, both horrified. Sam led Billy out of the kitchen then, hoping to distract him. She turned the TV on and found a cartoon for him, gave him a quick squeeze and told him she'd be right back. She couldn't believe that Jonathan would be so selfish and hurt his mother this way. Seeing Angela crying like that distressed her deeply and she imagined it couldn't be good for a pregnant woman to receive such a huge shock either.

Determined and angry, she marched upstairs to knock, er, talk some sense into the little brat. How could he do that, she fumed. She didn't bother knocking at his door; she burst in furiously, ready to ream him in when she suddenly noticed Michael sitting on the bed. She opened her mouth to speak, didn't know what to say so closed it again, and then muttered a quick "sorry" under her breath. She hadn't meant to interrupt.

"Hi, do you mind giving us a minute, Samantha? My son and I just need to finish a private conversation." Michael was surprised at how much Samantha had grown since the last time he'd seen her at his ill-fated wedding. Gone was the sunburnt teeny-bopper; she'd grown into a stunning young woman. Michael turned to look at Jonathan and saw the crush plain as day in his son's conflicted, tense features. As understanding dawned on him, Michael decided to use it to his advantage. He wanted his son now. He'd missed out on years that he'd never get back and needed to fix that! After Sam had stepped out of the room and closed the door, Michael turned to his son. If he played his cards right, he'd be enjoying fatherhood for an extended period of time.

"Jonathan, you didn't tell me that Samantha was such a beauty. Fiery temper too. She's quite something isn't she, Tiger?" He looked into his son's eyes to see if he'd stirred the pot adequately.

"Don't call me that! Yeah, I guess she's alright." Jonathan avoided his father's gaze. He stood up and added a few items to his suitcase instead. He felt his father's eyes bore into him and desperately wanted to hide. He could feel his face flushing at the thought of his secret coming out.

"Wow, I don't know how you do it, kiddo. If I'd had a girl like that living under my roof at your age, I would have . . . well, it would have been torture. Ouf. Can't imagine. But under the circumstances, I guess you wouldn't touch her with a ten foot pole." He set the trap and waited. Jonathan turned very red, then very pale and finally turned to face his dad.

"What?! Of course I can't touch her. She's Tony's daughter. **_Tony_**, who raised me! That makes her completely off limits. Besides, she could kill me, dad." He angrily threw another item into his suitcase.

"Jonathan, I'm your father, not Tony. That girl is not your sister." He was getting all Aces here.

"Then where the hell were you, Dad? Where were you? Why did you only ever give me two weeks per year? Is that all I'm worth to you?" He began to cry.

Michael reached out to his son and held him in his arms, tightly. "It's OK kid, I'm here now. You're going to come with me and we're going to make up for lost time. Just the two of us, at my beach house. I'll talk to your mom. **_I'm_** your dad. Not Tony. And that girl . . . well you just need some time away from her. She's not your sister. Don't worry. Stay with me and we'll figure it all out. Will you come live with me?" He continued to console Jonathan while the floodgates burst. Jonathan's teenaged anguish poured out into his father's arms. The father he'd longed to know and be loved by. Michael rocked his son and started planning on how he'd talk to Angela. She'd had him long enough; it was his turn now. He'd be nice about it; he didn't want to hurt her. But his son needed him. And he needed his son. And no woman was going to stand in the middle of that!

Samantha was standing in the hallway waiting her turn, when Michael exited the room and held the door open for her. "He's all yours" he said and smiled at her.


	9. Chapter 9, Kiss and Punch

**Chapter 9:**

Samantha entered Jonathan's bedroom intending to yell at him about his selfish choices when she realized that he'd been crying. Jonathan hastily rubbed his eyes, not wanting her to see.

"Jonathan, what's going on? Are you going to live with your dad?" She asked him softly.

He simply nodded, not trusting his voice to sound composed. He tried to ignore her; she was sitting on his bed looking at him. He turned away and continued packing.

"Jon, your mom's crying in the kitchen because you didn't even tell her that you're leaving! How could you do that to her?" She found him strangely unresponsive but didn't want to push him over the edge. His recent moodiness was cause enough for treading lightly. She touched him on the shoulder, which made him flinch then hide his face from her.

"Oh for goodness sake, Jonathan! Look at me! What are you doing?" Sam's anger was returning. She stood up and grabbed his arm to turn him around so she could let him have it. This silent treatment was becoming ridiculous.

"Sam, get out of my room!" He yanked his arm out of her grasp and turned away from her once again. He did not want her in here; not when he was so perilously close to losing control over his emotions. The crying jag with his dad had done him in just then. And Samantha informing him that he'd made his mom cry was too much. His muscles were taut, jaw clenched and he was using every single ounce of self-control to pack his suitcase while pretending Sam wasn't there. He knew that if he just looked at her, he'd give way to the maelstrom of emotions screaming in his head.

"No! How you can do this to your mom! To this family! When there's so much going on. What's Billy going to think? And what about the baby? Are you going to . . ." her pestering and needling got to be too much for him.

"Shut up. Shut up. Shut up!" _Snap_

Something gave way in him and he turned to look at her. She was angry and accusing, her face flushed, eyes glinting and arms gesticulating wildly. He wasn't listening anymore—he felt as though he was floating above himself somewhere. None of this was real. Had the world suddenly sped up and then slowed down? Samantha was still talking. What was she saying? He looked at her, admiring her beauty, the full rosy lips moving, the creamy skin flushed with pink, those dark eyes like pools of melted chocolate . . . how he wanted to touch those lips, feel her soft sweater beneath his fingers, caress her cheeks . . . and why not, he thought to himself, since none of this was real anyway? He was dreaming after all. He approached her.

Sam wondered if he was even listening to her. He had a dreamy, stupid look on his face and wasn't answering a single question. One second he was trying to throw her out of his room, screaming at her to shut up and the next, he just stared at her—no reaction to her insults. She gave an exasperated sigh and turned to leave. If this was how he wanted to play it, then she'd let her dad have at him next.

It started out in slow motion; he came right up to her and put his hand out to touch her pale pink sweater. He fingered the softness of the angora. She looked down at his hand, surprised. With his other hand, he touched her cheek—it was warm beneath his fingers. She backed away from him but he pulled her towards him and pressed his lips to hers. Her lips were so soft, just like he'd dreamed. Time sped up and he rejoined reality just as her fist connected with his face. Jonathan lost his balance and fell backwards to the floor, his eye burning in agony. He was blind! What had happened?! Samantha was yelling for her dad and he was rolling around on the floor, making sure that his eye was still inside of his head.

Tony, Angela and Michael heard a loud thud upstairs followed by Samantha's scream and urgent calls for her dad. The three adults ran up the stairs, Tony taking two at a time. He arrived at the scene first. Samantha was pointing to Jonathan on the floor. They were both completely incoherent; he screaming about his eye and she was practically hyperventilating. He couldn't make out what either of them was saying. Tony's first thought was that Jonathan must have had an aneurism or some other dangerous brain event. Angela and Michael came up behind him, just as confused by the sight before them.

"Call 911. I'm going to call 911!"Tony ran for the phone but Samantha stopped him.

"911, Dad? I only decked him. He'll live." Sam's breathing was slowly returning to normal.

"You . . . you punched him? Samantha!" Angela was aghast. She knelt down beside her son, assessing the damage. He wouldn't take his hands off of his injured eye to let her have a better look.

"What the hell just happened here!?" Tony knew that Samantha had grown out of her childhood "slugging" phase. If she'd punched Jonathan, he wanted to know why.

Samantha looked away. She was still flabbergasted by Jonathan's attack kiss and her own quick trigger self-defence response; her brain hadn't processed any of it yet.

"Dad, I . . . I . . . I", she looked up at her dad as though lost. She looked over at Jonathan and felt terrible about his eye injury. She'd done quite the number on him. She knelt down beside Angela and went to have a look at the wounded left eye. It was completely swollen shut. Angela looked at her with disappointment and blame.

"Here, let me see, Jon", she gasped at how bad his eye looked and suddenly felt quite guilty. "I'll go get some ice for him." She hurried downstairs to the kitchen. She needed to get out of that room and away from Angela's accusing glare. Her legs felt a bit wobbly as she ran down the stairs and she had to stop and hold onto the handrail, breathe deeply and descend slowly the rest of the way. She couldn't believe what had just happened. Where had_ that _come from? Had Jonathan been harbouring a crush on her for some time? Or was he simply suicidal? She certainly hadn't meant to hit him so hard but her fist reacted before her brain did, it seemed. She needed to calm down and shut up. No way was she going to tell their parents about this. That would just give Michael a good reason to take the kid away from his mother. She'd give him hell about it later, but she didn't want to hurt Angela right now.

Upstairs, Angela and Tony were trying to get answers while tending to Jonathan's eye. Michael stayed quietly in the background, letting the others frantically worry. If his son had been punched out by that spitfire, he figured that the kid had done something stupid to deserve it—and that that very stupid action was probably going to work out in his favour. So he kept quiet and observed the frenetic activity around him.

"Sweetheart, can you sit up?" Angela helped her son into a seated position. "Are you dizzy? Do you feel nauseous? Did you hit your head when you fell?" Her worried mom-questions bombarded him.

Jonathan internally assessed the damage to his face and realized that he was simply going to have a hell of a shiner. He still couldn't believe that he'd kissed Samantha. His lips had touched hers and he was still alive-albeit a bit beaten up-to remember it. He shrugged off his mother and stood up to show her he was fine now. Well, sort of fine, if fine meant a bruised, stinging eye that he could no longer open. Sam appeared then with a bag of frozen peas for him, looking remorseful and embarrassed. She handed it to him silently just waiting for the parental inquiries and recriminations to begin. She wasn't disappointed. The questions seemed to come at her all at once, the parents all talking loudly over each other.

"Samantha, you hit him? How could you do such a thing?" This was Angela, sounding upset.

"Yo Sam, since when is slugging people okay? Don't tell me you two were fighting _again_!" This time Tony, sounding angry.

"Jonathan, what did you do to deserve that?" This time Michael, smirking quietly in his corner of the room.

"Nothing, it was _nothing_. _Right Jon-a-than_?" She looked at him hoping he'd catch her meaning to stay quiet.

Jonathan shook his head. "It wasn't nothing. I kissed her and she punched me. I'm sorry, Samantha. Don't be mad at her, guys. It was my fault." He needed to protect her from being blamed or punished. Besides, he was strangely proud of himself.

Samantha put her face in her palms and shook her head. How could he be so stupid? Michael would surely take him away, now.

"What do you mean, you_ kissed_ her?" Angela again. "Like a brotherly kiss good-bye before your Christmas trip? That's what you mean, right Sweetheart?" That's what Angela needed to hear right now.

"Of course, Angela. That's it. It was a good-bye Christmas kiss, _right Jonathan_?" Sam lunged at the second chance to make things right. Michael's expression of victory disconcerted her. "Silly me, I overreacted." _Come on kid, work with me, she willed him._

She checked the adults for their reactions to her lie. Tony looked at her skeptically. Angela appeared confused and Michael was smiling too much.

"No. Don't you guys get it? Sam is **_the girl._** The girl I can't handle being around anymore. Samantha, thank you for trying to fix things but I deserve this shiner. I completely ambushed you with that kiss. I can't do this anymore, this pretending. Right, Dad?" He turned to look at Michael.

"Jonathan, what do you mean? Why are you asking your father?" Angela saw a look of understanding pass between father and son and she grew fearful. What had Michael done? How could Jonathan have kissed Samantha for real? She was feeling a bit faint and went to sit down on the bed. Tony sat beside her and put his arm around her. "It's going to be okay", he reassured her. But he wasn't so sure of that himself. He knew about Jonathan's crush, of course. So did Mona. And, obviously Michael had figured it out quickly too. Angela had remained clueless, no doubt because she still thought of Jonathan as her baby, not as a red-blooded teenaged boy with raging hormones. He hoped that they could talk this out as a family, but he was having his doubts. If Jonathan was capable of ambushing his daughter with a lip lock, then maybe they did need distance between them. Tony looked over at Michael, who was quietly talking to Jonathan. He knew it was time for the boy to be with his real father for a while now. Michael looked at Tony, indicating towards Jonathan and then towards the suitcase, with a nod of his head. Tony nodded back, silently conveying his agreement. They'd wordlessly made the decision. It was for the best, under the circumstances.

Tony squeezed Angela around the shoulders and whispered to her, "Sweetie, he needs time with his father. He needs some distance away from Sam. He needs to do some growing up of his own. Angela, you're going to have to let him go." He held her tightly against him as his words sunk in. She looked at him unbelievingly, then looked to Jonathan who was closing his suitcase with Michael's help and finally to Samantha. She knew this could escalate even further and threaten to tear their family apart. It was Michael's turn now. She felt the baby move in her then, like a series of bubbles popping inside of her. It tickled and made her smile. She put her hand to her abdomen and looked up at her nearly grown son. This was what needed to happen. Life was about change and change happened fast, sometimes. But no matter what happened, she'd raised her son to be a considerate, kind young man. He'd fallen in love with the wrong person and needed a fresh start. She had to trust that he was going to be alright with his dad.

The next few hours flew by in a fog for Angela. Somehow they made it through dinner, all together but there certainly wasn't much conversation at that point. Jonathan's eye was swollen shut and turning purple, Samantha was quiet and subdued, and Tony was just trying to fix things by making a good meal. Mona arrived home from her late afternoon holiday shopping trip, completely unaware of the day's events. She was aghast at Jonathan's black eye and even more at him leaving with his father and tried to talk Angela out of that decision. But Angela was unyielding; Tony was right. Jonathan needed to do some growing up and he needed to do it away from Samantha. As much as it broke her heart, she loved her son too much to let him continue living out a tragic heartbreak every day. Now that she knew the cause of his recent depression, she knew that this was the solution.

It was decided that Michael and Jonathan would spend the night at Michael's airport hotel because the flight to California was very early the next morning. Angela made sure that Michael knew everything about their son's routine, fast-tracked studies, food intolerances and fears. She then entrusted Jonathan into his care. It had been difficult enough when Sam had moved into the dorm, but this was so much harder. Jonathan was her baby and he'd be over 3000 miles away now. She cried and hugged her son good bye.

"Good bye, Sweetheart. You listen to your father, keep up your studies and phone me every day!" Angela held him tightly.

"Maybe not every day, Mom. But I'll call and I'll write and I'll come home to visit before the baby is born." He hugged his mom, feeling very much like a little boy in her arms as he submitted to her kisses all over his face without protest.

He hugged his grandmother next. She kissed him good bye along with comments about all of the California babes waiting for him. She always made him smile.

Next, Tony grabbed him in a big bear hug. "Hey Pal-o-Mine, I'm going to miss you. You're going to do great in California. Do some surfin', okay?" Tony felt very emotional saying his farewell to the boy he considered his other child. He'd been in Jonathan's life for over six years now and had watched him grow from a lizard-obsessed smart mouth, to a highly intelligent, if somewhat shy and bookish young man. He was suddenly overwhelmed by powerful memories of all those years of gymnastics, Cub Scouts, Father and Son golf tournaments, accordion lessons, failed attempts at teaching the kid how to play baseball and all of the quality family time they'd spent together- holidays, regular days, meals, movies- and he felt the tears form in his eyes. His voice gruff with emotion, Tony told Jonathan that he loved him and would miss him very much. Jonathan was starting to get teary eyed now too. He was going to miss his family very much. But he felt a lightness at not having to hide anymore and an excitement at the new life that awaited him.

Jonathan knelt down and hugged Billy good bye, then looked up to see Samantha looking at him. Leaving her was both a relief and a torment. And saying good bye to her in front of everybody was going to be quite awkward, he feared. She must have sensed his discomfort for she called him to follow her into the kitchen for a minute.

"Hey kiddo. So this is it, huh?" She looked up at him, her eyes troubled. "I'm really sorry about your shiner", she reached out to gently touch his black eye.

"No Sam, don't be. I'm sorry for ambushing you like that. I, uh, well, I'd wanted to do that for a long time. It wasn't cool, Sam. I'm sorry." He looked embarrassed and contrite.

"You should have talked to me, Jon." Sam tried to make eye contact with him again.

"Talked to you?! Really? Sam, you're a gorgeous, popular, hot babe. I'm a dork, geek, and loser that you think of as a kind of brother. How would that talk have gone?" He rolled his eyes and laughed at the thought of it.

"Oh Jon, you're not that bad. I'm sorry for all the times I made fun of you and wouldn't drive you places. I was kind of mean to you. If I'd known that you were crazy in love with me, I might have been nicer", she teased him. She made him smile.

"Well good bye then", she went to hug him. He held her loosely and awkwardly, afraid to accidentally overstep the boundary that he'd previously demolished. "Jonathan, what is that? A fish hug?" She laughed then. Poor kid—Sam had briefly known the pain of unrequited love with that English professor. She couldn't imagine it going on for an extended period of time, while living in the same household and having to hide and deny your feelings. It must have been torture for him. She felt deep compassion for him and gave him a proper hug. Then in a gesture of holiday spirit and remorse, she invited him to kiss her good bye.

"It's okay Jonathan. You can wish me an early Merry Christmas. Go ahead. Pretend there's mistletoe. One time; I won't scream or punch you." She nodded at him encouragingly. He looked stunned, blushed very deeply and looked around the kitchen to make sure that the pots and pans weren't going to be horrified. "I won't bite you," she looked at him. He couldn't resist the offer and plunged his lips onto hers without any more encouragement. She let him kiss her, closed mouth of course, and then whispered "Consider that my Christmas present to you. Bye kid. I'm going to miss you", and she meant it.

They exited the kitchen together, Jonathan all aglow from his secret Christmas kiss and Sam feeling rather charitable. He hugged all of his family members again, secretly swiped a framed photo of Sam when nobody was looking, and said his final farewells. He looked at Michael; they left together, father and son to the waiting car outside.

That evening, Angela was feeling out of sorts and quite glum. Her son's departure left a huge hole in her heart. But, she reminded herself, he wasn't the only child who needed her.

She saw the light on in Sam's room and knocked lightly at her door.

"Come in", she called.

"Hi. Can we talk?" Angela felt that it was important to clear the air between them now.

Samantha nodded and made room on her bed for Angela to sit. "Angela, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have hit him. If I hadn't hit him, then he wouldn't be going to California. This is all my fault." She wanted Angela to understand how badly she felt about the whole situation.

"No Honey, you can't blame yourself", she pulled the girl into a hug and stroked her hair. "I should have seen it coming. Really. You're so beautiful and he's been in awe of you for such a long time. It's my fault for not recognizing the signs. For not talking to him. I don't blame you for hitting him. That kiss must have shocked you today." Angela wasn't going to let Sam take the blame. Her son had pounced on Sam and she felt terrible about that. "Are you alright, Sam?"

"I'm fine. It was just a kiss. He just really surprised me! " She was so relieved that Angela understood. Angela was like a mother to her but she knew that blood was thicker than water and had half expected Angela to blame her for her son's departure. But there was no blame. Angela loved her like a daughter and was making sure that she was alright.

"I saw what you did today, Sam-how you tried to hide what happened. You and Jonathan tried to protect each other today. You both took blame to defend the other. That says a lot to me. It says that whatever this crush is, you two have a deeper, more lasting relationship beneath it. You'll both overcome today's events. You will. He'll meet somebody eventually and one day we can hopefully all laugh about this. I certainly hope it's the case before your father and I get married—whenever that may be." She smiled at Sam and gave her one more impulsive hug then wished her goodnight.

Angela went downstairs and found Tony sitting on the couch. She told him about the conversation she'd just had with Sam. He hugged her, thankful that she loved his daughter so much and wasn't assigning blame. They stayed cuddled up together on the couch, the TV off, no need for an excuse to be close. Tony rubbed her arm, then held her hand.

"How are you doing, Angela?" He looked into her eyes.

"Oh Tony, I'm going to miss him so much. I wasn't planning on having my son move out at fifteen. But I know this is the right decision, so I've got a measure of peace about it. He'll be happier now." She felt a bit lonely and lost too but didn't tell him. He could see it in her forlorn expression though. He wanted to comfort her, to show her that she wasn't alone. He kissed her then, slowly and gently. She wound her arms around him and pulled him close to her. His kiss was sweet, caring, and loving. When they pulled apart, she was filled with a deep need for him and began kissing his face, moving her lips along his jaw and then burying her mouth in his neck. He smelled so comforting and masculine. She kept kissing him, desperate for him. Kissing his neck then returning to his lips. She undid the top buttons of his shirt and kissed him in the hollow of his neck, breathing him in. He pulled back sharply and slammed the brakes on their relationship once again. "Angela, you're feeling very vulnerable right now. This isn't a good time to . . ." he started warning her. His rebuff sliced through her already overwrought emotions and she began to cry.

"No, Angela. Don't cry. I don't want to take advantage of you. You're grieving Jonathan's departure." He was trying to make her understand why this wasn't a good time for them. But Angela didn't want to hear and instead took off upstairs, ashamed at being rejected once again. She heard Tony calling after her but ignored him and ran towards the safety of her bedroom. He followed her and caught up with her just as she was about to enter her room. They were both breathing hard from the hasty flight up the stairs. He grabbed her so he could explain himself but found that he couldn't speak. She was flushed and upset, so he kissed her again. His rational voice was screaming at him to stop but he couldn't. Angela was confused by his mixed messages. She pushed him away but her desire for him overwhelmed her. She slammed him into the doorjamb and kissed him back, harder. She needed him right now; needed him as a balm against her pain; like wine to help her forget. She needed his strength, his protection, all of him. He saw her intense need and kissed her back roughly. Breathless from the forceful kiss, she whispered "Stay with me tonight. I don't want to be alone. Tony, I need you." And with that, he followed her into the bedroom.

**Author's note: And with that, dear reader, please look out for chapter 10 in the M section in a few days' time. **


	10. Chapter 10, see M section

Please find chapter 10 of Surprises is in the M section now.


	11. Chapter 11, Pen Pals

**Chapter 11**

Dear Jonathan,

Hope the shiner is healing up nicely and I really am sorry for hitting you so hard.

How's California? You're so lucky to be spending Christmas with the sand, surf and palm trees. Here, we have snow. Lots of it.

You're not going to believe this but it happened, it finally happened! Yesterday, Billy woke up early looking for Dad but Dad wasn't in his room so Billy came and woke me up. Then he burst into Angela's room before I could stop him. Your mom and my dad were asleep in bed together! Ha, I knew it. They were so embarrassed, Jonathan. Your poor mom; I think she wanted to hide under the covers. Then Billy tried to jump into the bed with them. I started laughing, which made Dad furious and he ordered us out of the room. Poor Billy, he had no idea why they were upset—he thought it was a sleepover.

I tried to talk to them, you know, to tell them how happy I am for them. But I don't think they were ready to share their relationship with the whole world yet. Dad gave me a lecture about privacy and knocking on doors. I told him that I'd give him and Angela lots of privacy from now on. I don't think I've ever seen my dad blush like that. I'm still laughing at the thought.

Well, I just needed to write and tell you that. And wish you a Merry Christmas of course. Here's the drawing that Billy made for you. It's supposed to be a Christmas tree and a reindeer but looks more like a bush and a mouse.

Gonna miss you this Christmas, kiddo. No hard feelings, I hope. And I really hope that when you come back, we can continue being good friends.

Love Sam

Dear Sam,

My eye is purple but I can open it now. Don't worry; I don't blame you for it.

Beach, surf and palm trees for sure. My dad's house is amazing! It overlooks the ocean and I just have to go down a few stairs and I'm right there, on the beach. We've got two Newfoundland dogs, Onyx and Shadow. I didn't realize how much I missed having a dog since Grover's death, until now.

Wow, Mom and Tony are doing it. Can't say I'm very surprised but that's pretty funny about you and Billy waking them up like that. So I guess that means they'll be getting married. And I guess that means that you'll become my step-sister. Excuse my lack of enthusiasm there.

Life here is interesting. My dad's live-in girlfriend, Runa, is only 23-years old! She's a stunning Swedish blonde who likes to walk around in her bikini all the time. She practically lives at the beach, being that she's happily unemployed. She's totally mooching off of my dad but he doesn't care because he's got a girl half his age on his arm. It's Heather all over again and we all know how well that worked out. Actually Runa makes Heather look like a brain surgeon; she's not too sharp on the uptake. My dad has been yelling at her to put her clothes on when I'm around but she doesn't much care. Other than being an airhead, Runa's pretty cool, actually. She says she's going to teach me how to surf and for Christmas, my dad got me a surfboard. It's really gnarly. I can get Californian here.

Christmas was very different. We had Chinese take-out (Runa can't cook) and we made a bonfire on the beach, roasted marshmallows, took the dogs for a long walk, and then went swimming in the ocean. Overall, I can't complain. Dad is being extra nice to me; I think he feels bad that I had to leave home.

Miss you guys and really miss Tony's cooking. When's Mom due again? I'll come home to meet the baby.

Happy New Year! Hope 1991 is a great year for us all.

Love Jon

P.S. I go by Jon now. Jonathan sounds kind of dorky

Hey Jon,

Your mom is due early June. Come as soon as school is out for the year. Speaking of school, do you have a new one yet?

We had a traditional Brooklyn Christmas. Mrs. R invited us over so that Billy's grandmother could see him over the holidays. I won't tell you about all the amazing food we wolfed down because it was so much better than Chinese take-out. But it's cold here; I'm jealous of your beach.

Dad and Angela are so in love that it's almost sickening to watch. They're trying to be secretive but their behaviour is anything but! Ha! I've caught them kissing so many times now that I've started walking around with my eyes half closed, ready to bump into walls so as to not embarrass them. Ok but here's the best best best part. Dad proposed to Angela on Christmas Day after dinner, in front of the whole family. You've probably heard by now since your mom was going to call you. It was really romantic; Dad knelt down to propose and gave her my grandmother's sapphire and diamond ring. She got all weepy and said yes, of course. I'm so happy, Jon. They're going to wait until you're home and do it after the baby's born. Angela said she didn't want to wear a maternity wedding dress. And guess who gets to be their maid of honour? Me!

Runa sounds interesting. Hide the silverware and other valuables.

Happy New Year to you too. 1991 is going to be a good year.

Love Sam

Hi Sam,

I heard about the engagement when Mom and Tony called. I'm happy for them; really I am. They deserve to be together after all of those years. Tony asked me to be the best man, so it'll be the two of us standing up for them. As it should be, I guess. Wonder when they'll set a date.

My new high school is scary, Sam. The kids are all big phonies, driving up in their Porsches, with their nose jobs and designer clothes. Really glad to be in the accelerated program and out of there as soon as possible. I did make a new friend though. Max lives next door to us, is a senior at the same plastic school and hates the bogus crap as much as I do. Max is a bit of a loner but he's cool and he surfs.

Surfing is my new thing. Runa showed me the basics and now Max is teaching me. We head out to the waves first thing in the morning; the dogs run along the beach watching us. I love it. And I'm pretty good at it, if I say so myself. Max says I'm progressing quickly and that if we continue surfing before school every day, I might be good enough to enter a beginner's competition by summer. We'll see. I'm just having a lot of fun.

Oh and I'm learning how to drive. Dad is teaching me and says he'll buy me a car for my 16th birthday later this year. I hope it's not a big, yellow, eyesore with reflectors glued all over the sides.

How's school, Sam? Did you pass that Statistics course? I miss you. Can you send me a recent picture?

Love Jon

Hey Jon,

The latest is that I've moved out of the dorm and back home. I was really sick with a nasty flu and let Dad take care of me. Then, I just didn't want to return to my dorm with its noise, loud partying, shared bathrooms and awful food. Just couldn't do it. I told Dad and Angela that I want to move back and be there to help out with Billy and when the new baby comes. It'll help with my studying too; I failed that stupid Statistics course and have to take it over again. You know, after hanging out with Bonnie and my other high school friends last week, I'm really regretting that accelerated year. I should have stayed in high school and enjoyed my senior year. Now, I'm swamped with homework I don't understand, a heavy course load that's killing my social life, and I miss my friends. Dad and Angela are thrilled to have me back home. Your departure left a big hole in their nest. Dad is doting over me like you couldn't imagine; making me lasagna, walnut fudge brownies and doing my laundry. Plus, with the money I save, I can hopefully get a new car. Ugly yellow eyesore indeed.

Wish I could go surfing but it's cold, snowing, and miserable here. No picture for you, Jon. I just got over the flu and look like hell. Any girls at school to interest you? Maybe one who didn't have a nose job?

Love Sam

Dear Sam,

You moved back home? No way. But I'm glad you did; I'm sure it makes my mom happy to have you there while I'm away. I'm sorry you regret doing the accelerated program. You should have partied more, Sam. Me, I don't party. But this surfing thing, I've got down pat.

As a matter of fact, I have met a girl. I found one of the few brunettes in my entire high school and she's absolutely gorgeous, not phony or pretentious. Her name is Rachel Weinberger and she's my chemistry lab partner. She's smart, funny and a lot of fun to be with. So anyway, I asked her out to a movie and she said yes. We went to see _Ghost_, a perfect romantic date movie. And we're going to go surfing together. I like her, Sam.

I'm not so crazy about Runa these days, though. She can be quite shrill and bitchy and spends my dad's money on expensive designer duds and manicures. I know that she's fueling my dad's mid-life crisis but he'd better hold onto his wallet. She's dumb as a doorknob too.

Miss you guys,

Love Jon

Dear Jon,

I've just emerged from hell. Dad had a two-week teaching internship so he asked me to help take care of Billy and the house. Angela took two weeks off work so we could do it together. If I eat one more "Omelet a la Angela", I'm going to be sick. Between the two of us, neither one of us can actually cook or clean. I'm busy studying and Angela's pregnant so it's not like I let her vacuum or do anything heavy. Worst day was when Dad invited the principal of the school over for dinner and Billy had a bunch of friends over stampeding like elephants on speed through the house, screeching and making a total mess. I was trying to help and do my homework at the same time when your mom had a complete meltdown, bawling and freaking out. She was trying to run things as well as Dad does but even between the two of us, we couldn't manage it! Messy house, bad food, annoying little kids and a pregnant woman sobbing her heart out. Yeah, I'm having a ball. Maybe the dorm would be better.

Glad you found a girl you like and I hope it works out for you two.

Love Sam

Hey Sam,

Sounds like you're having a rough time over there. Funny, my mom didn't fill me in on her meltdown when I spoke with her. Sam, it sounds like you need to have some more fun. Get out with Bonnie and enjoy yourself. Too bad your boyfriend lives so far away; are you guys in touch? Well, I'm off to take the dogs for a run along the beach. Runa's playing stupid music and dancing in her bikini. I've got to get out of here! Rachel and I are meeting up later for dinner. We're kind of exclusive now.

Ciao,

Jon

Jon,

I have to fill you in on the latest news. The IRS came to audit Dad and Angela and it turns out that legally, they're already married. Last year, they checked into a hotel as Mr. and Mrs. (which I find rather interesting in itself) in a common law state. So now they're common law. Since they're already engaged and the baby is due soon, they're not fighting it. They do have a hefty tax fine to pay though. They plan on having the real wedding end of August! But they are already married or common law. So, I guess you're my step-brother now. Crazy stuff, huh?

Bonnie and I hang out but my schedule's a lot heavier than hers and I'm stuck babysitting Billy a lot. Dad is so busy with school and Angela has to take it easy; doctor's orders. Don't worry, she's fine but her blood pressure is a bit high. Not unusual for a pregnant woman her age. Hey don't forget that she's turning forty in a few weeks. You have to send her flowers or something special. We're going to throw her a party, but it won't be a surprise. Remember how wonderful the last surprise party was?

Oh and Dad and I are turning his old bedroom into a nursery for the baby. They don't know the baby's sex so we're doing it all in beautiful sage green and cream with a zoo animal theme. I love it. I'm really psyched about the baby coming. So I asked your mom if I could be in the delivery room with her and she said yes! Dad wasn't so sure; he's worried I'll be turned off from having children if I watch a live birth, but I know I won't. I find this all so fascinating and really want to be there for the big moment.

Love Sam

Dear Sam,

I think it's great that you want to attend mom during her delivery and see my new baby brother or sister be born.

So they're married. Just like that. Wow. Must say it came as a bit of a shock though. If ever two people belonged together, it's them. But truthfully Sam, I don't like the idea of being your step-anything. You were the most intense crush I ever had and I can't say that I'm 100% over it yet.

Rachel and I won first prize for our science fair project. You probably already heard my mom gushing to you about that. Now, we're going to compete in the regionals against other winners. If we win at that level, we get $5000 to split between us and go onto the nationals. This is going to look great on my college applications. Wish me luck.

Rachel, Max and I are going to have a bonfire on the beach now. The three of us are like the Three Musketeers. We get along great. Here's a picture of us all.

Good luck preparing the nursery. And yes, I'll send my mom flowers for her birthday. I wouldn't forget the big four-oh! Poor mom; I know she's been dreading that one. I hope her blood pressure is okay. I'm really glad you're there to make sure she doesn't overdo it. Take care of her for me, Sam.

Love Jon

Samantha was reading Jonathan's latest letter and studying the photograph he'd sent with it. It took her a few seconds to realize that it was even Jonathan in the picture. She had to do a double take. He'd grown so much in only a few months and he'd definitely filled out as well, probably from all the surfing. His hair was shorn close to his head and had been bleached blond by the sun. He looked tanned and happy, posing there with his new friends. The girl, Rachel was beautiful with waist length black hair and thick bangs above startling blue eyes. She reminded Sam of a very young Cher. Next to the tall, lanky brunette was Max. Max looked like a rebel, sporting tattoos, long hair in a ponytail and holding a cigarette. Interesting that these were Jonathan's new friends. She envied them their beach life and the carefree way they were posing, arms around each other, wearing their bathing suits. The dogs were in the background too, she noted. She was so engrossed in her examination of the photo that she didn't hear the phone at first. It startled her, tearing her away from the beach scene so brusquely. She heard Angela calling her from downstairs to pick up the extension. She picked it up in the upstairs hallway.

"Hello?"

"Hi Samantha." It was Matt calling long distance.

"Matt! Hey, I thought we had a phone date for tomorrow. What's up?" She was happy to hear from him. She missed the big lug and was looking forward to his upcoming visit. She definitely needed some time with her man in person. Some up close and personal time.

"Uh Sam. Can we talk"? He sounded nervous and something else that Sam identified as guilt. Her heart started hammering in her chest and she went to the little bench to sit down.

"What is it Matt?" She braced herself.

"Sam, I won't be able to visit you next week after all", this was followed by a long pause after which he continued a bit more confidently, "I don't think I'll be visiting again at all. Sam, I've met somebody else. I'm sorry." His voice sounded monotone to her, as if he'd rehearsed this little speech. She heard a girl whisper something in the background, followed by a little giggle.

Sam was incensed. Was the "somebody else" sitting next to him right now? She felt as though she'd been punched in the stomach.

"Who is she, Matt? Is she right there beside you? I can hear her!" Sam's voice rose a couple of octaves.

"Sam, yeah, it's Betty. You remember her? She worked at the resort with you. Sam, you were gone and I never got to see you. Betty's here and we're in love now. I'm sorry Sam. Sam, are you alright? Do you want to talk to Betty?"

"No! I don't want to talk to Betty! How could you even ask me that?" In her outrage, she slammed down the phone, hard and burst into tears. She tried to take a deep breath but it hurt her chest. Blinded by her tears, she ran headlong into her bedroom and threw herself face down on the bed. She and Matt had been sort of engaged, hadn't they? And he was breaking up with her while the new girlfriend sat beside him? Maybe they were in bed together. The thought made her sick to her stomach and she had to run to the bathroom to retch.

Angela heard a commotion upstairs; the phone being slammed, Sam running and then loud sobbing. She went upstairs as quickly as being eight months pregnant allowed her. She found Samantha in the bathroom, sitting beside the toilet, crying hard.

"Honey, what happened?" She was alarmed by Sam's distress.

"Matt . . . he . . . dumped me", followed by a fresh outburst of tears. Then angrily, "Angela, he dumped me for another girl and she was _there_, with him during the phone call. He actually had the nerve to ask me if I wanted to _talk to her_." Sam reached for some toilet paper and loudly blew her nose.

"What? She was there? Matt did that? Oh Sweetheart, I'm so sorry." Angela awkwardly lowered herself next to Sam and pulled her into a hug, trying to console her. Sam cried against Angela, letting herself be comforted. Then she felt a bumping against her ribcage. She looked up confused. Angela smiled and explained that the baby was kicking." Sam looked up, amazed.

"That's the baby kicking me so hard?" She placed her hand on Angela's large belly, smiling through her tears at the baby's kicks. Then she laughed and promptly burst into tears again.

"Come on, Sam. Let's get you the break-up remedy. Ice-cream and brownies in the kitchen now. Mona can take you to "Africa" afterwards. How's that?" She smiled and then realized that she was quite unable to stand up. "Sam, a little help here please." Sam laughed as she helped heave the heavily pregnant woman back to a standing position. They went down to the kitchen arm in arm, ready for their indulgent snack.

While they were eating, Sam decided to confide in Angela about why this break-up was different. Why it hurt so much more. She needed her pain to be validated.

"Angela?" Sam looked at her with apprehension.

"What is it, Sweetheart?" Angela could sense that Sam had something important to tell her.

"Angela, Matt wasn't just any boyfriend. This isn't like when Jesse dumped me. We'd discussed marriage. I was ready to marry him, Angela. It was way more serious", she paused, took a big gulp of her water and continued, "Angela, I gave him everything. Do you know what I mean?" She looked up at Angela then, the tears of betrayal spilling fast.

Angela's eyes widened in surprise. This boy had been Sam's first? She hadn't guessed that before. "Oh Sam, I didn't know. How this must hurt now. Sweetie, I'm so very sorry." She acknowledged Sam's intense grief and hugged her again. Sam continued to cry against her.

"Don't tell Dad please, Angela. He'd have a heart attack. Promise me. I just needed you to know. You're my mom now. I had to tell you." She was vulnerable now but she needed a mother's comfort and loyalty to help her through it.

"Shhh, it's okay Sam. It's a woman thing. We women have our secrets amongst ourselves, right? I won't tell him. But Sam, answer me this. Did you stay safe?"

"Yeah, Angela. We did. But I couldn't keep my heart safe, could I?" And with that, a fresh wave of tears began again.

After two bowls of ice-cream, a huge fudge brownie smothered in whipped cream and a good cry on Angela's shoulder, Sam made her way back upstairs, spent. She'd hang out with Mona later to complain about men and forget about some of her pain. She locked herself in her room, so that Billy couldn't barge in on her when he came back from his swimming lesson. Still crying, she sat on her bed and felt something crinkle beneath her. Jon's letter. She took it out, smoothed it and put it in her desk drawer with his other letters. She envied him. She took out the photo once again, looking at Jon in disbelief. He'd changed so much. And Rachel was gorgeous, all long limbed and tanned. Sam sighed, took out her homework assignment and tried to focus on it. She heard Billy and Dad returning home then. She knew her secret was safe with Angela. Mom. Angela. Mom. She wanted to call her Mom. But she looked at the picture again and wasn't sure of anything anymore. Two minutes later, Billy was banging on her door, begging to come in. Samantha put her head in her hands and just cried.


	12. Chapter 12, Happy Fortieth Angela

_**Author's note:**__ This chapter is the first part of Angela's birthday. Yes, it is long. And I was going to continue but then decided that I needed to post and then write a new chapter for the second part of her birthday. I wrote from the heart on this one. They say to write what you know! Enjoy. And please R&R-a bit of feedback helps me know if I'm going in a good direction. If you have specific comments, questions, please PM me. Thanks!_

**Chapter 12:**

Angela woke up early on the day of her fortieth birthday. The baby was pressing on her bladder, urging her to get up yet again. She looked over at Tony and saw that he was still fast asleep, curled up on his side looking so cute and boyish. She leaned over to kiss his brow, careful not to wake him. It was still hard for her to believe that they were together now, and solid. After that first night, there was no going back. Unfortunately, the romantic mood had been somewhat upset when the kids had walked in on them their first morning, causing a big ruckus. Angela chuckled softly to herself, remembering Tony's outrage, Sam's surprise and Billy's attempt to crawl in with them. She herself had been mortified but she'd recovered quite well now. And it certainly was worth every second of their new relationship.

She carefully manoeuvred herself out of bed, her heavy belly making her movements awkward and slow. Ten more days until her due date but she was so ready to have this baby NOW. Her lower back ached, her feet were swollen and she had to pee every five minutes. It was seriously disrupting her sleep. Thankfully, Tony was a deep sleeper and wasn't bothered by her numerous trips to the bathroom. When she was done, she crawled back into bed hoping to catch a few more minutes of sleep. Tonight was her fortieth birthday party bash at the Fairfield Country Club and she wanted to be as well-rested as possible. Tony, Mona and Samantha had reserved one of the dining rooms and invited the people who meant the most to her. Wendy and Isabelle were coming, along with her best grad school friend Emily. And of course Jack and her other work friends. Tony's close Brooklyn buddies, who Angela counted among her friends, would also be there. And, she reminded herself, Mrs. Rossini and Al too. Al, who had offered to do her party hair. She wasn't sure about that one. It was going to be a big celebration for a big birthday. Angela groaned when she thought of turning forty. Wait, as of today, she already was forty. Tony couldn't understand why it bothered her but then again, he wasn't forty yet. His turn was soon enough but it needled her that she was older than him. She tried to get comfortable in bed but turning from side to side involved heaving her huge belly. Finding a decent position was tricky because she couldn't sleep on her back anymore and every movement she made was unwieldy. She stretched and accidentally kicked Tony's leg. She held her breath, hoping that she hadn't woken him up.

Tony pretended not to have felt that hard kick against his shin. It had become rather disruptive sleeping next to a pregnant woman who got up every hour on the hour, shifted in bed five thousand times per night and kicked him. Often. He usually pretended to be asleep so that she'd just make herself comfortable but he realized how impossible that task was for her right now. He opened one eye and saw her fidgeting miserably.

"Hey there birthday girl. I'd sing "_Happy Birthday to You"_ right now, but my morning breath would probably kill you and I love you too much to do that to you on your birthday", he teased her. "Another rough night, Angela?"

"Hi. I woke you again, didn't I? Sorry Honey", she looked at him apologetically.

"Don't worry about me. I'm not the one with a watermelon sittin' on my bladder. Do you want to try and get some more sleep? Billy won't wake up for at least another hour." He tried to get into a cozy spooning position with her so he could rub her back for a bit. "How does that feel?" Tony rubbed Angela's back in a circular motion, concentrating on her sore lower back and hips. She'd mentioned the aching areas a few times over the last couple of weeks now.

Angela tried to relax into Tony's back rub, stretching this way and that, testing out less awkward positions. Finally, she gave up and sat up feeling frustrated. "I'm going to take a shower. Maybe that'll get the kinks out of my back", she announced.

"Do you need any help in there?" he asked suggestively.

"No Tony, I do not. You wouldn't fit in there with this fat walrus anyway." Angela felt so big and ungainly, that it was making her cranky.

"Ay-Oh, Oh-Ay. Angela. You're no walrus. Don't say that. You're a beautiful pregnant woman; a _very _pregnant woman. I think that's sexy. The doctor said you were right on target with your weight gain. You're perfect." He looked at her, disturbed that she felt so badly about herself. He wanted her to feel as beautiful as she really was.

Angela smiled at him then; he always knew the right thing to say. She stood up and headed to the bathroom, still tired from her restless night. First thing she did was step on her bathroom scale. Bad idea. After reading the number, she regretted starting her birthday off on the wrong foot. She'd gained 34 pounds. Logically, she knew that her pregnancy weight gain was fine, but the number on the scale reminded her too much of her fat days. She shoved the scale out of the way and headed over to the mirror, frowning at the reflection that greeted her. It was obvious that she wasn't getting enough sleep—the dark smudges under her eyes attested to that. She had a hint of pregnancy mask too, a couple of dark splotches visible on her upper cheekbones. She checked her face for signs of aging; being forty made her self-conscious about her appearance. She lightly pulled her cheek upward, examined her skin and sighed with relief; not wrinkly. The right amount of make-up would probably fix her problem areas for tonight's party. That and a nap after lunch, perhaps.

She knew that Tony was attracted to her; his libido had proven that to her over and over again. A smile unwittingly appeared on her lips at the thought of her enthusiastic, virile lover. They'd slowed down as she'd gotten bigger and bigger and now, she was keeping him at arm's length. She felt so awkward and huge and didn't want to scare him away with her wobbly bits. He respected her personal space and let her set the pace of their sexual relationship during the later stages of her pregnancy. So now, it was pretty much non-existent and would remain so until well after the delivery. Angela was quite apprehensive about Tony seeing her post-partum belly, breasts leaking milk and stretch marks. She was making herself depressed now, just worrying about how she was going to engage his interest and keep him happy sexually. She certainly wouldn't want him looking around at some firm, young thing who'd never given birth. When she'd had Jonathan, she'd been young, only twenty-four and her body had bounced back from pregnancy quickly enough. Now, at forty, she wasn't so sure how fast she'd regain her pre-pregnancy body, if ever.

It was with those self-defeating and disheartening thoughts that Angela started preparing herself for her big day.

Tony readied himself quickly in the children's bathroom and hurried downstairs to get a special birthday breakfast going. He'd noticed Angela's mood take a downward spiral in the last week or so and attributed it to lack of sleep, discomfort from her pregnancy and missing her son. Samantha was also having a very difficult time since her break-up with Matt. Tony was still furious that Matt could have dumped his beautiful daughter so cruelly. Watching her mope around the house, not eating, and not looking for a summer job was starting to worry him. And if he had to hear "Hold On" by Wilson Phillips one more time, he was personally going to smash her cassette player to pieces. She'd become easily irritated by Billy, refusing to babysit and was spending most of her time locked up in her bedroom. Now he hoped that he could tempt her with a bit of French toast and sausages. And he hoped that both women, moody and fragile as they were right now, would enjoy the big party this evening. He'd planned everything, down to the last detail and couldn't wait to see Angela's expression when she opened his gift. Plus, there was a surprise from Jonathan waiting for her in the living room.

Tony made a breakfast worthy of a four star restaurant and waited. Billy came downstairs first and gobbled up his food before begging to go play outside and ride his bicycle. Tony tried to explain to the six- year-old that it was Angela's birthday and that they had to wait for her. Billy didn't want to wait and decided at that very moment to throw a loud tantrum. In the midst of Tony trying to calm the little boy down, Mona suddenly appeared at the door.

"Hi, what's going on here?" She asked before taking a plate and filling it with French toast, sausages and fresh fruit. She poured herself a coffee and sat down next to Billy, who was whining and complaining about wanting to go outside right now to ride his bike.

"Hi Mona, I'm glad you're here. Angela's still not down yet. She feels like a walrus today. And Sam, well, I'm just hoping Sam actually eats today. She's melting before my eyes. And this kid here", he pointed a finger at Billy, who was now repeatedly kicking the table leg, "needs a lesson in patience and manners." Tony let out a frustrated sigh. "Mona, can you please try to get the miserable women to come downstairs? I'd really like to celebrate Angela's birthday. On your way up, please feel free to put Billy in his room for a time-out!"

Samantha awoke to the sounds of Billy shouting about his bicycle. Not again. That kid was getting on her last nerve these days. He always wanted her, needed her, was calling her, asking her to look at him, to take him somewhere, to play with him and she just wanted to be left alone. She tried to drown out his whining by wrapping her pillow around her head and holding the edges against her ears. She heard Mona tell him he was getting a time-out followed by the sound of a door closing. This was followed by more noise- hysterical screaming and door kicking from Billy protesting his punishment. She tried to dive more deeply under her covers and pretend the world around her didn't exist. But then she remembered that it was Angela's birthday today so she forced herself out of bed. She heard a knock at her door and Mona asking to come in.

"Come on in, Mona. I'm getting up." Sam stood and stretched.

"Well hello. There's a perfectly delicious breakfast waiting for us downstairs. And Billy won't be bothering you; he's in time-out, if you haven't already heard from all the shrieking and banging." Mona was worried about Samantha too. She'd noticeably lost weight since her break-up and was clearly struggling with simple day to day functioning.

"Billy doesn't bother me, Mona," Samantha lied. "We should check on the birthday girl", she said, a pasted smile on her face. Mona wasn't fooled by the act and hoped to cheer the girl up today.

Sam quickly darted into the bathroom, then emerged ready to get Angela. She and Mona knocked on Angela's door and then barged in singing "Happy Birthday to You", very loudly and slightly off-key.

Angela was surprised and delighted by the happy intrusion. She clapped and laughed, then drew the two most important women in her life into a big hug. They both bumped into her belly at the same time, causing quite the giggle fest.

"Happy Birthday, dear. My little medical miracle having a baby in her advanced years", the teasing from Mona was predictable and Angela laughed it off.

"Come on, Angela. Dad's made some sort of huge feast for you this morning. Let's see what he's got", Samantha grabbed her hand and the three of them headed for the stairs. Mona let Billy out of his prison on the way down, admonishing him to behave today. Billy's crying had subsided to hiccups by then and he gave Angela a subdued Happy Birthday hug.

Tony was waiting for them in the living room. He gave Angela a big hug and wished her Happy Birthday. Then he kissed Sam on the head and told the ladies to sit on the couch because Jonathan had sent a surprise for his mother. He had their attention now. First he presented Angela with the bouquet that Jonathan had sent her; two dozen perfect pink roses. Angela started getting teary eyed as she opened the card. "Ooooh", she gushed, "he remembered my favourite flowers. He's such a good son."

Tony held up a video cassette and announced that he was going to play Jonathan's video birthday greeting. Billy sat right up against the TV in anticipation and the women on the couch, waiting. Tony popped the video into the VCR, pressed Play and waited. The image finally appeared on the screen—it was Jonathan sitting at the piano. He'd grown so much; the little boy in him was completely gone. This new young man then played the piano and sang his mother the birthday song; his voice powerful and in perfect pitch. When he was done, he faced the camera and gave his mom a huge smile. By now, all of the family members were gaping. Since when could Jonathan sing so well, or play the piano or look like he did now? They were all thinking the same thing, staring at the screen in disbelief.

"Hi Mom", Jonathan began in his new adult-sounding voice, "I wish I was there with you for your big birthday but school's not out yet. I know the baby is due soon and I'll come as soon as my exams are over. I really miss all of you guys and can't wait to see you again. Things are going well here for me. Rachel and I came in third place with our science fair at the regionals so yay to us!" He grinned then and gestured to somebody off-camera.

Rachel, the beautiful, lanky brunette came and sat beside him on the piano bench. She smiled shyly at the camera and waved, then blushed and smiled at Jonathan. "Hi to Jonathan's family! Happy Birthday Ms Bower. You have a wonderful son." Jonathan put his arm around the stunning girl and proudly introduced Rachel to the family. Her blue eyes twinkled with delight and she gave a final little wave before heading off camera again.

"Well, now you've met my girlfriend. I tried to get the dogs to come in front of the camera but the lazy things are sleeping. Hey guess what? I learned how to drive and am getting my license the second I turn sixteen, which is just around the corner. And, I'm competing in a beginner's surfing competition next week. So that's me. Mom, I love you and really hope that your birthday is very special today and that you feel much loved. I miss you, Mom. Oh and if you're wondering about the piano, it's a cinch to play after learning the accordion. Dad showed me. Alright, that's it for my message. Love all of you guys! Bye." They saw Jonathan stand up and walk towards the camcorder to turn it off, moving like an athlete, all lean muscle and vitality. He bent down to where the camera was, gave one last wave and turned it off.

The family stared at the blank screen for a few seconds. Mona spoke first, "Looks like the California sun can grow more than just oranges." She looked to the others, shaking her head in incredulity. Angela started getting teary eyed, dismayed that she'd missed such a crucial part of her son's adolescence in the past year. He'd left a slight teenager, shorter than her, thin and gangly, pale and bookish. The young man on the screen was tall and strong, tanned and confident. Obviously California had been the right choice for him, yet she couldn't help but feel that she'd lost something. She was so proud of him but missed her baby.

"Was that my baby? Did you see that, Tony? He can sing! Did you see how tall he is? He's built just like his father. And I'm so happy he has a girlfriend. Rachel is lovely." She exhaled in amazement and smiled widely. "Oh Tony, he's coming home soon. I can't wait to see him."

While Angela chatted excitedly about Jonathan's upcoming visit, Tony ushered the women into the kitchen to serve them breakfast. He had laid a pretty table for Angela's birthday and now put Jonathan's bouquet in a vase and set it at the centre of the table. Angela heaped her plate full of the goodies waiting for her. Samantha poured herself a coffee, took a small piece of toast and nibbled the edge.

Tony watched his daughter not eating yet again, his worry and frustration rising. "Samantha, eat!" He yelled it a bit too loudly, making her and Angela jump in response to his sharp tone. He piled some sausages and French toast onto Sam's plate and poured a generous amount of maple syrup over the whole thing. Then he waited, arms crossed for her to take a bite.

Samantha for her part, was incapable of eating. Ever since Matt had dumped her, there was a painful lump in her throat. Several times per day, the lump would explode, making her cry. That's why she spent so much time alone in her room. She didn't want them to know that she literally couldn't stop crying. The lump also prevented food from passing down her throat. As soon as she started swallowing a bite, she'd start gagging. She'd never felt like this before in her life and knew it wasn't normal but she didn't know what to do about it. She drank juice whenever she felt her blood sugar dipping too low but she'd barely eaten any solid food since Matt's phone call a few weeks earlier, at least not after the ice-cream pig out session with Angela. She wasn't trying to lose weight and was herself alarmed by her rapid weight loss. When her clothes started falling off of her thin frame, she dug into her box of old clothes from Junior High and started wearing those again. She felt so miserable these days that it took every ounce of energy to simply get out of bed and get dressed. Sam looked up at her father now, his face worried and impatient, arms crossed, foot tapping, waiting for her to take a bite of food. Angela and Mona were also looking at her with concern. Sam cut a small piece of sausage and forced it into her mouth, swallowed it with great difficulty and said, "yum". She felt like gagging.

"Eat more. Finish your plate", Tony ordered her.

Samantha felt like a small child the way her dad was bossing her around. But she wanted him out of her face and didn't think she had it in her to argue with him today. She tried a piece of the French toast, and gagged on it. She looked up and saw the alarmed faces around her and decided to try harder. If only that stupid lump would go away. She looked at her food and took another bite of the toast but spat it back out. There was no way she could eat.

"Samantha, what's wrong?" Angela put her arm around Sam's shoulders and pulled her against her. Tony sat down, tendrils of fear crawling down his back. Marie had been unable to eat when she was sick.

"I don't know, Angela", she sobbed. "I just can't eat. I can't stop crying. Ever since Matt dumped me. I think he was in bed with Betty when he called me", and with that, she ran out of the room. Angela looked at Tony and saw that he was alarmed. He went after his daughter to console her. Angela wanted to get there first, but she couldn't move quickly enough and barely had time to get out of her chair before Tony was halfway up the stairs to Samantha's room.

Tony found his daughter in her room, looking out of the window despondently. He put an arm on her shoulder, gently turned her around and enveloped her in a big, bear hug. She sought solace in the comfort of her daddy's arms, leaning her face into his chest, trying her best to disappear. Tony let her cry against him. When her sobs had subsided to the occasional sniffle, he pulled away and gestured for her to sit down.

"Talk to me, Sam. We've always been able to talk but I feel shut out over here." He loved his daughter and wanted to know what was going on in her life.

"Dad, I just feel horrible. This break-up was so much worse than any other. I can still hear that girl giggling on the phone when Matt gave me his break-up speech. Dad, it was so humiliating. I can't eat because I feel like I'm going to cry all the time." She confided in her dad, letting him know as much as she thought he could handle.

"So, you don't feel sick?" He held his breath.

"Sick? No Dad. I'm not sick. I'm just miserable."

Tony breathed an audible sigh of relief. Angela came in and knocked at the door. In her heart, Samantha was her daughter too and she was worried.

"Hi Sweetheart. Are you alright?" She sat on Sam's other side and patted her leg.

"She's miserable, Angela. I didn't realize that this break-up was different and so hard for her", Tony looked over to Angela, grateful for her support.

"Oh, so you told him?" Angela asked Samantha, surprised.

"Noooo Angela", Sam started panicking.

"Told me what?" Tony knew he'd been missing something. "What's going on?"

"Nothing!" Sam and Angela stated in unison. Angela looked over at Sam apologetically and squeezed her hand. She'd misconstrued the scene she'd walked into.

"What nothing? What are you two not telling me? What's going on? Are you guys keeping secrets from me?" Tony was suspicious.

"Dad, leave it alone. It's women's stuff. Okay?" Sam tried to pacify him.

"No, Sam, it's not okay. If there's something going on with you, I want to know. Especially if it has to do with you not eating, locking yourself in your room and crying all the time." He wasn't budging. He was getting to the bottom of this now. He looked at Angela but she looked away.

"Dad, do you really want to know? I mean, really? It's about sex." She looked at her father in defiance.

"Sex?" Tony felt a bit sick now. "You and Matt?"

"Yeah. I thought we were in it forever, Dad. And he dumped me over the phone like I was yesterday's news. I feel so used. I regret it, okay?!" She yelled it at him, suddenly feeling the lump in her throat start to clear.

Tony looked from Sam to Angela and back again. They'd kept this from him? He felt sucker-punched and was momentarily speechless.

"Dad, don't freak out! I'm almost nineteen. I'm pretty average for this and he was my first . . . and only, for a long time", she tried to reassure him seeing that he was clearly going into shock.

"Tony, I think Samantha's a bit depressed", Angela just wanted to help Sam and right now she clearly needed help. "Tony, are you alright?"

"Am I alright, Angela? Am I alright?" He shouted. "No, I'm not alright. Not only did my daughter have . . . have . . . you know! But you kept it from me, Angela. You knew and you didn't tell me!" He was furious now. Angela paled. She knew he'd be upset but didn't think that he'd blame her.

"Dad, don't get mad at Angela. I swore her to secrecy." Sam jumped in to defend her surrogate mother.

Tony looked at the two women sitting together, hands clasped and stormed out of the room. It was a show of sisterhood and there was no way he was going to be let in. He was outraged, hurt and felt betrayed by both of them. How could Sam . . . he couldn't think of it without feeling nauseated. And how could Angela keep such a huge secret from him?

He remembered them pulling this same exact stunt when Samantha had gotten her first period. Sam hadn't told him a single thing, confiding only in Angela, who in turn, had kept her mouth shut as per Sam's request. He'd found out later, quite by accident and had been hurt to learn that they had excluded him from such a huge milestone in his own child's life. She'd barely been thirteen, after all. And even though he'd been immensely indebted to Angela for helping and teaching Sam about that _female business_, he didn't like the secrecy. Now, Sam was almost nineteen, and they were discounting him again, except that this was much more serious. Feeling dejected and angry, Tony stomped downstairs wishing that this had not happened on Angela's birthday. How could he stay mad at her on the night of her party?

Tony sat on the couch, head in his hands, fuming. He was debating with himself how to handle the situation when Al suddenly showed up at the door.

"Al, what are you doing here?" Tony hadn't been expecting the kid.

"I'm here to create Angela's birthday do. I can do Samantha's too. And make-up. I've got everything", Al showed Tony his beauty kit, complete with scissors, combs, curlers, bottles of hair gunk, and cosmetics.

Tony let him in, gesturing to the staircase. "They're all yours." He needed to get out of the house for a while. He decided to take Billy for a bike ride, figuring that fresh air and exercise would help him calm down a bit.

Al headed upstairs, confident in his abilities to make the two women upstairs look magnificent tonight. It was his gift to them because they'd been so supportive of his studies and salon. Tony was like a brother to him and he was always grateful to him. And to Sam for managing his band so successfully. He considered them family. Angela was cool too, he decided. He got to the top of the stairs and yelled out, "Yo, I'm here. It's Al to do your hair." Samantha and Angela came out of Sam's room, surprised to see Al standing there with all of his hair paraphernalia. Al stared back at them, equally surprised.

"Samantha, you shrank", he exclaimed, then turned to look at Angela, "and you got huge!" One could always count on Al to speak his mind heedless of peoples' feelings. The censor mechanism regulating thought to speech wasn't very developed in him. He continued talking despite their annoyed looks, "You guys are going to need a lot of help to look good. But don't worry, I'm here and I can work miracles, even with old bats." He grinned at the two livid women, happy to be able to help.

Al decided to begin his transformation with Angela. She led him to her dresser, putting thoughts of Tony's anger out of her mind. Or at least she was trying to forget about it. It bothered her that he'd been so accusatory. She focused on Al's ministrations. First he cut some dead ends out of her hair and touched up her roots. While waiting for the colour to settle, he turned his attention to Samantha.

"Sam, what's up with your hair? It's a mess. Are you going for short or long?" Al looked disapprovingly at Sam's half grown-out hairstyle. "Ay Sam, maybe you should go for clean. You need a shampoo." Al fingered her slightly oily hair and shook his head.

"Fine Al. Fine. I'm going to take a shower. Are you happy now? Grow some manners, will ya!" She could volley an insult right back. Funnily, she was feeling better since yelling at her dad and unburdening herself. The truth was out and she felt a bit freer now. She headed off to her bathroom to wash up, looking forward to having Al fix her the mess on her head. She'd neglected her hair and it was neither short nor long nor anything. The dark dye had washed out and it was back to being plain old brown. She held the longer bangs back with bobby pins and pretty much ignored it, not much caring that looked was ghastly.

Al turned his attention back to Angela. Satisfied that the roots were done, he directed her to wash it out, then proceeded to style it with great care. An hour later, he was satisfied with his efforts. He'd chosen a classic chignon style; hair swept up elaborately on top of her head. He'd cut her bangs to better define her deep set eyes. Then, carefully selected a few curled tendrils to escape artfully. The style was reminiscent of the '60's but with a modern twist. She looked stunning. Angela looked at herself in the mirror and was pleased.

"Thank you, Al", she smiled at him. "Are you doing my make-up too?" She pointed to his cosmetics bag.

"Yeah yeah. First, let me take care of Samantha, yuck what a mess. Yo Sam, are you clean now?" He shouted into the hallway.

Samantha came into Angela's room marvelling at the glamorous hairdo. She gave her a thumbs up sign and took her place in the same chair.

Al looked at Sam's hair and sighed. He looked through his colour swatches and put them away. No colour. He turned her head from side to side, thinking and examining, a look of deep concentration on his face. Finally his face lit up. He knew exactly how to fix this disaster. He wet her hair, got the scissors and began to work.

"Uh Al, what are you doing?" Sam was nervous about the scissors. How much was he going to cut?

"Trust me Sam. I know what I'm doing, okay?" He kept cutting. Finally, satisfied with his efforts, he turned her around to see herself in the mirror. Her eyes widened in appreciation.

"Oh Al. Al, I love it!" Al had given her a very chic Vidal Sassoon-type bob. It was almost geometrical but still soft. Her bangs were gone; he'd incorporated the mid-length pieces into the sides. He showed her the back of her head with a mirror. It was so precise; the bob was just below ear level, the dark edges contrasting sharply against her white skin. She loved the dramatic look—it gave her the boost she'd so desperately needed since being dumped. She stood up and hugged Al. "Yo, it's okay Sam. Calm down. I still have to do your make-up. You need it. You're too skinny now so the problem is that you look about twelve. I can't put much make-up on you or you'll look like a kid playing dress-up." Al knew his stuff but communicating it effectively really wasn't his forte. Sam smiled at him, knowing he meant well.

He did a very light make-up application on Sam. Just some sheer foundation set with loose powder. For her eyes, he used a brown mascara and some neutral eye shadow. Then a bit of blush and pale pink lip gloss and he was done. He didn't want to do more and have her looking like a garish child. Simplicity was key.

Then he turned to Angela. Yeah, she'd need a bit more work. And he wanted to create a dramatic look for her to match the elegant upsweep. Al went to work, applying there, powdering here, adding colour, erasing flaws, making Angela's face the tableau to his artwork. He knew he was good at his job. He stood back to study his handiwork, noting that one thing was missing. He took out the black, liquid liner. He had to be careful with this stuff—it was like using ink. He cautioned Angela to hold very still, then swept the black liner above her top lashes. The effect was superb and very theatrical. She looked like a 1960's movie star now. Angela's jaw dropped when she saw her reflection. Gone was the exhaustion from her face. She looked young and sexy. She gave Al a hug too.

"Yo Ange, you're not bad for a knocked-up broad, huh?" Al was very proud of his work.

Angela and Samantha looked at each other and burst out laughing. Al simply shrugged and said he was going to meet them at the party with Mrs. Rossini.

Angela took him aside to give him some money but he refused it. "No, it's a present. Happy Birthday Mrs. B." And with that he took off.

"Thank you Al!" They both yelled down to him. He was such a strange guy but he'd found a way into their hearts and the work he'd just done on them was phenomenal.

Sam and Angela headed down to the kitchen. Samantha smiled when she passed her reflection at the bottom of the staircase. She admired her hair and the silky feel of it, its sheer lightness. She swung her head from side to side watching the bob swing around her head, then fall perfectly back into place. "Angela, I'm hungry. I'm actually hungry. I need food!"

Angela practically pushed Sam into the kitchen, shoved some food at her and waited for her to eat. And she did. Sam ate like she hadn't eaten since the previous pig-out fest. She stuffed her face full of cold sausages, congealed French toast and soggy fruit. She drank stale coffee to wash it down, let out a loud belch and burst out laughing. Angela was laughing with her. Tony and Billy came in at that exact moment. Tony stopped, his previous anger evaporating now at the sight that greeted him. Sam was eating and she looked happy and absolutely gorgeous. He went over to her and gave her a big hug. Then he looked over at Angela and was simply stunned. He'd never seen her look so beautiful.

"Hi" he said simply. He looked at her in awe. "I'm sorry I yelled at you guys. Obviously this women's club can be very therapeutic", he waited for Billy to go into the living room then said, "I'm your dad, Sam and I want to be involved in every aspect of your life but I know that an eighteen-year old young lady needs space and privacy. If you waited 'till eighteen to have . . . the thing you had . . . , then I'm okay with it. After all the boyfriends you've had over the years, I should be relieved that you didn't before. I'm sorry he hurt you Sweetheart. But next time, do you two mind not excluding me like that? I know I'm not one of the girls, but I love my daughter and want to know what's going on with her. Alright?" Tony made his point. He was so happy to see Samantha eating with appetite, knowing she was on the road to recovery and definitely healthy. He looked over at Angela then, simply wowed by her beauty.

"Hey birthday girl. You are gorgeous. Can I give you a birthday kiss?" He put his arms around her waist and pulled her close. Angela looked deeply into his dark eyes and fell headlong into the kiss he gave her. Samantha watched them happily but then realized she was a fifth wheel, so she went to talk to Billy in the living room. She needed to apologize to him for all the snapping she'd done at him lately. She wanted the kid to know that she loved him, and was very sorry for ignoring him during the past few weeks.

Finally it was time to leave for the party. Tony was waiting at the bottom of the stairs, looking at his watch, then looking up the staircase and back at his watch again. They were taking forever to get ready. He sat on the couch but Billy and his teenaged babysitter were taking up all the space, engrossed in their movie. He didn't want popcorn bits on his dress pants. So he stood up again and paced, looking at his watch again and back up the staircase for the umpteenth time.

Samantha came down first, wearing the same black and white dress she'd worn to Jesse's prom a couple of years earlier. The dress that Angela had managed to obtain after a crazy chase through Manhattan. Sam's new hairstyle made her confident and for the first time in weeks, she didn't look miserable. "I had to wear an old dress because my other things are too big on me", she explained to her father.

Tony looked at her, so happy that she was feeling better and twirled her around. "Samantha, you look beautiful", he admired his daughter but hoped she'd soon put some weight back on. She was so tiny that even this dress was loose on her.

Angela came down next. Tony simply stared at her in wonderment. She was wearing a Grecian style pale green dress with an empire waist. A jewel encrusted belt encircled it just below the breasts, allowing the soft chiffon to drape down elegantly over her pregnant belly. The dress had only one thick strap on the left shoulder, leaving the right shoulder bare and it perfectly complimented her stylish chignon and dramatic make-up. Tony was glued to the spot; in absolute awe of the stunning vision coming down the stairs towards him, her dress billowing slightly with each step. When he'd regained his senses, he held out his hand to her and said, "I believe your carriage awaits, my lady", then quietly so only she could hear, "You are the most beautiful woman in the world. I'm so lucky to have you."

To be continued . . .


	13. Chapter 13, The Birthday Bash

**Chapter 13:**

Angela was giddy with excitement. They were in the car, on the way to the Fairfield Country Club for her birthday bash. Mona was meeting them there; she and Mrs. Rossini were greeting guests and organizing last minute details together. Angela hoped that a blood bath wouldn't erupt before they had a chance to get there; there certainly was no love lost between Mother and Mrs. R.

When they arrived, Tony had a beautiful woman on each arm; his fiancée and his daughter. He felt so much love for both of them and had sufficiently recovered from his previous shock about Sam and Matt. He knew that it was time to let her make decisions and suffer the fallout from them if need be. That's what growing up was about, after all. He looked over at Angela, so grateful for her presence in Sam's life. If Sam trusted her enough to confide in her about the most delicate of matters, then he trusted Angela's judgement with respect to his little girl. He smiled down at them, feeling like the luckiest man alive to have these two special beauties and proudly escorted them into the dining room.

A whirlwind of kisses, hugs and birthday wishes greeted Angela when she walked through the large double doors into the elegant dining hall. Friends that she hadn't seen in years were hugging her, touching her belly, and happily chattering over her. She was so excited, exclaiming at this friend and that one, laughing and wiping away tears of joy. Tony plugged his ears when Angela's graduate school friend, Emily suddenly appeared. He was waiting for the high-pitched "ieeeeeeeeeeeeeee" greeting that ensued and wasn't disappointed. Tony stood back, giving room to Angela's friends. They surrounded her; all talking over each other. Angela looked over at Tony and mouthed a silent "thank you" to him. He'd done this for her. To cherish her. To show her how much he loved her. He knew this evening was going to be special for her.

Mona and Sam watched from the sidelines, not wanting to get run over by the friendly throng converging on the birthday girl. Mona looked over at Sam and complimented her on her lovely new bob. She noticed that Sam appeared somewhat festive and not moody or depressed tonight.

"How are you doing, kiddo? You really look stunning tonight." Mona smiled at her kindly.

"Thanks Mona. You're pretty hot yourself", she said eyeing Mona's skin tight, cleavage showcasing dress. "Things are . . . better, I think. I feel human again. We had a bit of a crazy afternoon but then Al came and it just helped so much. I love my new hairdo!" Samantha's eyes were animated and her joy shone through.

"You know Sam, the best way to get over an ex-lover is to find a new one", Mona grinned at her mischievously. "It works for me all the time. Look at the single men here; several of them work for the Bower Agency. See that guy over there—tall, dark and handsome? That's Craig, he's one of our newest and brightest copywriters, fresh out of college, no girlfriend. You should talk to him later." She wanted Sam to get over Matt, and offered up the best way she knew how.

Samantha felt uncomfortable. She didn't feel ready to embrace a new relationship yet and told Mona that.

"Sam, who said anything about a relationship? Not me. You need to have some fun after moping around at home being miserable. You're a young, attractive girl. Enjoy yourself." Mona's advice wasn't wise or suitable but Sam was vulnerable at this early stage of her recovery, so she listened to the woman who was both a surrogate-grandmother and close friend. Mona pointed out other young men, including a very hunky bartender, and another of Angela's employees. How did Mona notice all of these men? It really surprised Sam, because she hadn't noticed a single guy when walking in. Men were the furthest thing from her mind at the moment. Right now, she wanted food. So she went in search of the appetizer trays that were circulating around the room, corralling Bonnie in the process. The two girls happily piled mini quiches and spring rolls on their plates, enjoying the party.

Sam shared her afternoon experience with Bonnie and the two best friends commiserated about boyfriends and parents. They were having a good chat when Bonnie abruptly decided that she wanted chicken skewers too. She waved over to a pretty blonde waitress who was carrying a tray through the horde of guests, looking a bit harried and stressed out. Sam turned around, ready to grab a skewer too when she suddenly found herself nose to nose with Kathleen.

"Kathleen?!" Sam looked at her, horrified to see her here. "You work here?"

Kathleen nodded, "This is a new gig for me. What are you doing here? Is your father here?" Kathleen started scanning the room for Tony. She had just arrived for her evening shift, not knowing that this party was for Angela nor that Tony was even here. She spotted him then, with some of his friends, she assumed. She'd never been introduced to them but the little guy in the hat and the big, fat man were clapping Tony on the back and laughing with him. She started heading towards him, hoping that perhaps he was still available. She'd been so lonely since their break-up and hadn't been able to find anybody who could remotely light a candle to Tony. She missed him terribly and had been deeply hurt by his rejection. Maybe if he saw her tonight, he'd realize that they were good together. But just as she began moving in his direction, she felt Sam's hand on her arm, stopping her.

"Kathleen, don't. Please. Not here. Not tonight." Samantha recognized the lovelorn expression of a woman still in love with her ex. Heck, she'd seen it enough times in the mirror since being dumped by Matt. Kathleen being here was a disaster. She couldn't let Dad or Angela see her. "Look, it's Angela's birthday party and she's together with my dad. Please don't let them see you. Maybe you could take the night off?" Samantha was feeling desperate.

Kathleen shook Sam's hand off of her arm and glared at her. "Take the night off, Samantha? I need this work. I need the money. I'm not going to lose a whole evening's pay because your father is here with Angela." Kathleen angrily stormed off towards the kitchen. Samantha looked at Bonnie, who simply shrugged and said to her friend, "You'd better make sure they don't see her, Sam. Or all hell is going to break loose."

Samantha went to Mona then, explaining the situation to her, while Bonnie kept her eyes peeled on the kitchen doors for Kathleen. Mona and Sam were brainstorming a way to keep Kathleen away from Tony and Angela, when _The Dreamtones_ announced their arrival at the front of the room. Tony had booked them as a surprise for Angela's birthday. He went to join them, took the microphone and began his speech.

"Thank you all for coming tonight. It means a lot to Angela that you could come and celebrate her _twenty-ninth_ birthday with us", Tony winked at Angela then and she beamed back up at him. "I just want to wish my beautiful wife-to-be a wonderful birthday and tell her that I love her. I love you, Angela. And I'm so excited about our future together and the baby we're having . . . _in a few days_." Tony chuckled, pretending to look scared. "And", he continued, "I want everybody to know that I've loved Angela for a long time. Let me see, yes, I think I fell in love with Angela sometime between our first Christmas together and the time her cooking made my appendix burst!" Tony gave Angela a sheepish look, then looked at the guests.

"What you all don't know is that Angela and I were childhood sweethearts too. We were each other's first kiss as young preteens at summer camp. How's that for fate!? And Destiny brought us together again years later, so here we are, in love, engaged and insanely happy. I'd like to invite the birthday girl to come here. Angela, get over here, will you?" Tony motioned for Angela to come join him and _The Dreamtones_. She blushed, and awkwardly made her way towards them, waddling a bit, one hand holding the small of her back, her enormous belly protruding. She'd removed her uncomfortable high heel shoes and was now barefoot and self-conscious about everybody staring at her. But she moved as quickly as she could towards Tony, who held his hand out to her. When she was finally beside him, he gave her a surprise kiss on the lips. The guests loved it, _oohing_ and _aaaahing_ and shouting, "Again. Kiss her longer. You can do better than that, Micelli!" That last comment from Tiny.

So he did. Tony gave Angela the kiss of a lifetime, with their friends as witnesses to their love. The guests went wild, applauding and _whooooing_. When he let her go, she was a bit frazzled. Angela wasn't used to public displays of affection and this one was certainly very public. She was flushed, ecstatic and a bit embarrassed.

Mona and Samantha turned to each other in surprise. "I knew it. I knew something happened at that motel!" Mona exclaimed. Sam laughed, "Me too! Ha, I called it! Remember, **_I_** was the one who suspected about Kissing Rock? Why didn't they tell us before?"

Tony saw Mona and Samantha laughing together, and was happy that they now knew about the childhood kiss. He'd wanted to tell them for years. In fact, he was so deliriously in love, that he wanted the entire world to know that he and Angela were meant for each other. Tony turned around, looked at _The Dreamtones_ and announced that they had a special song for Angela. She sat on a little stool that somebody had brought for her, then gave Tony all of her attention. _Tony and_ _The Dreamtones'_ song was _I Only Have Eyes for You_. Angela felt tears in her eyes; Tony was singing to her, his eyes locked with hers. Tony's voice was the lead, strong and confident. _The Dreamtones_ provided the doo wop accompaniment with perfect harmonizing. Angela sang along quietly to herself, absolutely in love with this amazing man. When the song was over, she stood up and applauded loudly, ignoring the discomfort in her belly. She figured it was just Braxton Hicks contractions once again, so put it out of her mind to focus on Tony. She walked over to him, put her arms around his neck and whispered a thank you into his ear. Then she hugged him as tightly as she could, belly in the way and all. Lost in each other as they were, Tony and Angela didn't notice the waitress staring at them from the kitchen doors, her eyes narrowed to angry slits, fists clenched, a tray of chicken skewers fallen at her feet.

"Wait, Angela. I'm not done", Tony announced. "I want to present you with your birthday gift. I hope it's very special to you." Tony then turned to their guests, "Right after Angela and I had our first kiss as kids at camp, I carved our names on _Kissing Rock_, the site of our kiss. Only silly Angela here, told me her name was Ingrid because she was too scared to tell me her real name. _Casablanca_, was it, Angela? And without any further ado, here is your gift. Ta da!"

Tony nodded to one of the staff, who brought over a sizeable object, wrapped in a sheet. He motioned to Angela to come and unveil it. She gasped when she saw what was underneath. Tony had made a plaster imprint of the rock carving and gotten it framed. The heart with the _Anthony and Ingrid_ carving was at the very centre, encircled by photos of Tony and Angela. Childhood pictures of them as preteens were closest to the heart, surrounded by pictures of them together as adults. There were pictures of Christmases past, family portraits with the kids when they were little and more recent ones too. Tony's cheesy calendar pose was enlarged next to one of Angela wearing her big, geeky red glasses. There were also vacation memories from Mexico, Jamaica and Italy, pictures of their house and a candid shot of them kissing. Angela was speechless. She'd never in her life received such a thoughtful, time-intensive, personal and loving gift. It was the most perfect present that Tony could ever have come up with. She burst into tears of joy, blubbering about how much she loved it and thanking him repeatedly, kissing his face between _thank you's_.

"Tony, when and how did you do this?" She couldn't imagine how he'd gotten it made.

"Angela, I drove up to the camp site a couple of weeks ago while you were at work. Philly and Tiny here helped me with the plaster." Tony nodded his head in acknowledgement of his good buddies before continuing. "We gooped up the rock, and left with the imprint. I took it to an art shop, gave them the pictures, asked them to fix up the old ones and decorate the carving with them. And there you go. I knew I had to get you something that showed how Fate had brought us together, Angela. You and I belong together. We always have. We were just too stubborn to acknowledge it before. I wish we'd gotten together sooner. There are many mistakes I would like to erase, if you know what I mean. I wish I'd told you . . ." Before Tony could finish his sentence, he was rudely interrupted by a very angry woman.

"And I suppose I'm one of those mistakes, Tony Micelli?" Kathleen couldn't take it anymore. Incensed as she was by the disgusting display of love between her ex-boyfriend and the woman he'd dumped her for, she suddenly charged from the kitchen doors, yelling at Tony. "How wonderful to know that you were in love with Angela the entire time you were sleeping with me!" Those last words, she screamed out like a banshee. "And judging by how far along she is in her pregnancy, I can only assume you were cheating on me too!" Kathleen was beyond hysterical now and had completely lost control of herself. Before Kathleen could reach Tony, a couple of waiters had restrained her and were pulling her back towards the kitchen, looking very apologetic.

Tony went very pale and stumbled a bit, looking shocked and disturbed. He turned to Angela, who had sat back down on the little stool, her face white as a sheet. He saw her squeeze her eyes shut and exhale deeply while rubbing her belly. "Angela, are you alright? I am so sorry that this happened. I didn't know she worked here, Angela. I had no idea!" Tony was trying to make sense of the last five minutes but his brain couldn't wrap around what had just happened. And now he was worried about Angela. Of all the days for Kathleen to show up.

Angela looked up at him, quite shaken. She couldn't believe that Kathleen had said those things and ruined her perfect birthday surprise. The shock of it had given her a strong Braxton Hicks contraction, or so she thought.

Samantha and Mona were kicking themselves. They'd been engrossed in Tony's song and present, momentarily ignoring Kathleen. Sam looked over at Bonnie who was shaking her head and mouthing "sorry sorry sorry" over and over again. She'd also been distracted by Tony's song and gift and hadn't noticed Kathleen's movements.

The guests, who had been so delighted and entranced moments earlier, were now stunned into uneasy silence. They weren't sure what to do and looked at each other, shaking their heads. Nobody knew how to react to such a crazy situation. They watched as Kathleen was escorted out of the dining hall by security.

Tony felt guilty. Guilty that Kathleen had made such a scene during Angela's special moment and guilty that he'd been the cause of Kathleen's rage. He'd dumped her so abruptly after letting her hope for marriage and children. He needed to fix things now. He squeezed Angela's hand and quietly told her he'd be right back. Then, he approached the security guards and Kathleen, motioning for them to stop. Tony then took Kathleen aside for a moment, away from the crowd. Angela could see them talking, Kathleen pointing at Tony accusingly and crying, while Tony tried to calm her. He put his hands on her shoulders, talking her down. Angela could see Kathleen's face; upset and hurt yet obviously still in love with the man before her. She couldn't hear what they were saying but Tony was looking at Kathleen apologetically, trying to reassure her. Angela just stared in dismay and suddenly had a pang of insecurity; she knew that Tony was only being nice but watching his kind concern for the woman who'd just tried to ruin her birthday upset her. Cramping in her lower belly was making her uncomfortable and very aware of her own size. She waddled over to Tony and Kathleen, unsure of what to say but wanting Kathleen to leave immediately.

"Tony, Kathleen? Is everything alright here?" Angela looked to the security guards and back at Kathleen as if to say, _get her out of here already_.

"Hold on a sec, Angela", Tony wasn't finished yet. "Kathleen just got fired from her job. I'm trying to help out a bit. Do you think that we could talk to the management and get her reinstated? You know, if we explain the situation?" Kathleen was looking up at Tony with pleading, tear-filled eyes and over at Angela with clear distaste.

"I'm sorry, what?" Angela didn't like this turn of events. "Tony, can I talk to you for a minute please?"

But before Angela could take Tony aside, the manager of the country club had come to make his apologies. He'd just heard about one of his waitresses going ballistic on a guest and wanted to ensure that there weren't any lawsuits pending. Tony explained to the manager that Kathleen was his ex-girlfriend and had overreacted to the shock of seeing him with his pregnant fiancée. Could they let her keep her position? He wouldn't complain about her, he promised. Angela listened in disbelief to the entire conversation; Tony pleading for Kathleen's job and Kathleen apologizing profusely to her boss, to Tony and then grudgingly to her. It was decided that Kathleen would keep her job but go home for the evening. Angela just stood there, speechless. The cool look of triumph in Kathleen's pale blue eyes made her stomach churn, so she took off for the Ladies' Room before she burst into tears.

Alarmed, Samantha and Mona followed her. They were aghast that Tony would stand up for Kathleen after her hysterical jealous rage rant. How could he do this to Angela on her birthday? They found her hiding in one of the stalls, sniffling and blowing her nose behind the closed door.

"Angela, are you okay?" Samantha was very concerned. "Kathleen's left the building. Can you come back out now? Please, Angela?"

"No. I just want to be alone. They're going to serve dinner now. Why don't you both go and eat." Angela was trying to get rid of them.

"Not without you, dear. We're personally escorting you to your table and then I'm going to give my future son-in-law a piece of my mind." Mona was quite livid.

"No, Mother, don't", Angela pleaded. "He did this out of guilt towards Kathleen, I know he did. Even though it was wildly inappropriate after her stunt, I can't fault him too much. That's the kind of decent person he is." Angela was trying to explain. Although for the life of her, she couldn't comprehend why it had to be Kathleen. Just thinking of the expression in Kathleen's colourless eyes distressed her. She felt somewhat nauseated now, sitting on the toilet. Another cramp hit her and she took a deep breath wondering if labour was imminent. Then she saw it; the pink smear on the toilet paper. She was losing her plug—she remembered this from her labour with Jonathan. How long did she have now? A day at most? The evening's intense emotions were kick starting her labour. She emerged from the stall, feeling vulnerable and a bit scared, walked over to the sink and washed her hands. The reflection in the mirror was still glamorous. Al's incredible make-up was hiding her stress and exhaustion quite well. She took a deep breath, and let her mother and daughter walk her back to the party.

Angela sat through dinner, pushing the food around on her plate. Tony offered a myriad of excuses for his decision to help Kathleen keep her job: he'd already hurt her in the past, she'd had a shock, she needed money, she wasn't a bad person, and surely Angela could be forgiving and on and on it went. Angela tuned him out, not wanting to get into an argument with him now. She focused on her friends, her rock carving, the song, and tried to regain a sense of equilibrium for her special evening. She knew it wouldn't last long though; the contractions were definitely not Braxton Hicks, she now realized. Angela felt it wise not to tell Tony right away because he'd panic, send the guests home and take her to the hospital prematurely. She unobtrusively timed her contractions; they seemed to be about ten minutes apart. She had time. When they got down to five minutes, she'd alert Tony and head over to the hospital. Labour with Jonathan had taken almost 24 hours so no need to rush, she told herself. Let the guests eat and dance.

_The Dreamtones_, sans Tony, got up and sang a few of their old hits. Guests started getting up and dancing, enjoying the party. Extra effort was generated to set off the tension. People actually started having fun again, the Kathleen incident now relegated to the gossip files for a future titter at her expense.

Mona wanted Sam to stop worrying. The girl needed some fun and staring at Angela pushing green beans around her chicken wasn't what she had in mind. She encouraged Sam to ask a cute guy to dance with her. Samantha wasn't sure. Seeing Kathleen going nuts on her dad and Angela had pretty much ruined her appetite. But Mona wouldn't leave it alone, and practically pushed the girl to have fun whether she felt like it or not.

Samantha knew she'd have no peace until she got up and danced. One dance. Fine, she'd humor Mona and ask one of those guys to dance. She looked around the room. There was Craig, from the Bower Agency, or the really cute bartender. But the bartender was working so she walked towards Craig, a definite hunk by any woman's standard. He was casually leaning against the bar, drinking a beer. Sam approached him nervously. Matt's rejection had her feeling a bit fragile and uncertain. She stood next to Craig to make some casual conversation.

"I just love _The Dreamtones_. Isn't doo wop great?" She looked over at Craig and smiled. He looked at her, surprised that a girl had appeared out of nowhere and was now speaking to him.

Craig nodded his head, "the music's not bad. And aside from that crazy waitress, the party is going pretty well for my boss. How do you know Angela?"

"I'm Tony's daughter. Hi, I'm Samantha." She held out her hand and he shook it.

"I'm Craig, Angela's best copywriter", he stated rather arrogantly.

Samantha was having some misgivings about dancing with this fellow but Mona was looking at her, giving her rather overt signals to continue. She wanted to humor Mona and figured a dance might be fun.

"Say, Craig . . . would you like to dance?" What the heck, she figured.

Craig looked at her, puzzled now. "Look kid, I don't think your dad would approve. Does he know that you're asking grownups to dance?" Samantha blinked in surprise at his words.

"Asking grownups to dance? How young do you think I am, exactly?" she needed to know.

"I don't know. Are you in high school yet?"

"College, actually. I'm almost nineteen. But never mind, Craig. Wouldn't want you to feel that you're robbing the cradle. Forget I asked." And with that, Samantha made her way back to her table where Mona was waiting for her.

"You struck out?" Mona couldn't believe it.

"Mona, I don't want to dance. He thought I was a child." Samantha's feelings had been hurt. Dumped by Matt, rejected at a party. She felt pretty low now.

"Uh, Mona, is Angela alright? Look at her!" They both turned to look at Angela who was clearly in discomfort and breathing hard. Tony was halfway across the room, talking to Mrs. Rossini and hadn't noticed.

Samantha and Mona went to check on Angela. "What's wrong, Angela?" They were both asking her at the same time.

Angela looked up at them, winced in pain and cried out, "Get Tony! I'm in labour; contractions five minutes apart. I need to get to the hospital. Now!"


	14. Chapter 14, Labour

**Chapter 14:**

Angela was in labour. Telling Mona and Samantha precipitated a frenzied rush to get her to the hospital. Mrs. Rossini was sent back to the house to take over from Billy's teenaged babysitter and stay the night with him. She was also entrusted with the careful transport of Angela's birthday gift. Guests were quickly notified and offered up their best wishes to the birthday girl, as Tony, Samantha and Mona raced her to the hospital as quickly as possible.

Tony's fitful driving was alarming to the women in his care; he was zigzagging through traffic, slamming on the brakes unexpectedly to slalom around slowpokes and swerving the car erratically. Finally Angela ordered him to slow down, stop driving like a maniac and to please just get them to the hospital alive!

"Geez Angela, couldn't you have mentioned that you were in labour a bit earlier? Why didn't you just say something during dinner? And here I thought you were simply pissed off at me. I didn't realize you were in actual pain." Tony's sharp tone betrayed his panic. He looked over at Angela, who was protectively holding her belly from his rough driving. He couldn't understand why she hadn't told him about her contractions sooner, instead of simply announcing that it was now time to go to the hospital. She'd been in early labour for hours, keeping silent. He knew she was stoic, but this was ridiculous.

"I wasn't in that much pain, yet. And yes, I'm angry at you, Tony. I'm angry but at the same time, I keep thinking about that amazing gift you gave me and your song and it's hard to stay mad. But really, Tony, why did you have to plead for Kathleen after she . . . ouch ouch ouch, slow down—bumpy road—oh god I'm going to have this baby right now if you don't—thank you . . . ", Angela panted. "Look, I don't want to argue with you when I'm about to push another human being out of me. Can we just not talk about it?" Angela wanted to focus on her labour; not Tony's asinine behaviour earlier. Besides, no man with an iota of common sense would ever want to start an argument with a woman in labour. She was liable to throttle him between contractions.

They made it to Fairfield General in record time; Tony went to check Angela in while Mona drove the Cherokee back home to pick up Angela's hospital bag, snacks, magazines and so forth. Mona had already told Angela that she wasn't too keen on being in the delivery room. Her own experience forty years earlier had traumatized her—she'd been forced to endure an emergency hysterectomy after a near fatal placental abruption. Issues of birth and delivery always made her queasy and Angela understood. Fortunately, Samantha's decision to be there gave her a great sense of relief; she knew that Angela was in good hands with Tony and Sam supporting her through labour. Mona had decided to make herself comfortable in the waiting room with a Jackie Collins novel. That would pass the time until her new grandchild came into the world.

Tony and Samantha were directed to a waiting room while a nurse assessed Angela in the small triage room off of the main Maternity Ward entrance.

"Hi, my name is Sally", the nurse introduced herself to Angela as she helped her up on the examination table. "Looks like you've just come from quite the party. What a gorgeous dress. Okay scoot down, we're going to see how far along you are." Sally was a veteran at her job; she'd personally assisted in thousands of births over the course of her long career. Her patients greatly appreciated her calm and reassuring manner. Angela submitted to the unpleasant examination expecting the nurse to tell her that labour was early yet. She was quite surprised to find out that she was already 6 cm dilated and that things were progressing very rapidly.

"Today's my birthday", Angela informed Sally. "We were at my party when I went into labour. You wouldn't believe the evening I've had. I wasn't expecting a speedy labour to top it all off. We didn't even have time for birthday cake." She was looking for reassurance.

"Don't worry, dear. I've seen it all. Maybe you'll have this baby on your birthday—better than cake, no? It's barely 9 o'clock. You never know. You're going to be fine and I'm going to take good care of you." Sally's motherly bedside manner dissipated some of the tension and worry for Angela. She looked at the older nurse with gratitude and followed her out.

Sally assigned a room to Angela and gave her a hospital gown. "Looks like you'll be meeting your new baby tonight", she informed her with an encouraging pat on the shoulder. Tony and Sam joined Angela in her private room and she filled them in on her progress. She felt a bit apprehensive now; she'd heard that second babies could come notoriously fast. Angela looked over at Tony, needing encouragement but he looked a bit scared himself. He came to assist her out of her party dress and into the hospital gown and helped her get comfy in the narrow hospital bed.

"Tony, this baby is coming fast. I wasn't expecting that. Oh God, I haven't done this in sixteen years; it's going to be a lot harder this time. I'm not twenty-four anymore. Toneeeeeeeee . . ." Angela braced herself as a strong contraction rocked through her body. "Oooooh that one hurt", she breathed hard as it subsided. She looked up at Tony, her expression tense. Tony wasn't sure what to do. He'd never been in a delivery room before. When Samantha was born in 1972, fathers didn't attend deliveries. He'd been relegated to pacing the waiting room with Nick, his late father-in-law. The two of them had treaded over the worn carpet and waited for the nurse to announce the baby's arrival. Then, they'd smoked cigars in Sam's honour. Now, in the '90's, dads frequently attended their wives' deliveries, watching the whole thing and then cutting the cord. Tony wasn't sure he was up for that. He felt nervous and was worried about Angela, dismayed to watch his fiancée in obvious pain. He scanned the room, noting the baby scale in the corner. This was real; this baby was coming tonight and he was going to be starting all over again with diapers, midnight feedings, and sleepless nights. Tony suddenly felt a twinge of panic twisting his stomach uncomfortably. He couldn't imagine what Angela must be feeling at that moment. He looked over at her; her eyes were closed and she was breathing deeply, waiting for the next contraction. Tony took her hand in his and squeezed it. She opened her eyes and he "smiled" at her.

Samantha wasn't sure what to do with herself. Angela was in pain but coping very well. Dad, on the other hand, seemed scared and was grimacing strangely at Angela. Maybe he was trying to smile, she thought. As another contraction took hold of Angela, Samantha came and held her other hand in support. Angela looked over at her gratefully. Her Dad was a bit out of his element, she realized.

"Hey Dad, would you mind getting us coffees? We're going to be awake for most of the night." She gave her father the permission he needed to exit the room. He gladly escaped and made his way to the cafeteria, relieved to finally breathe.

"Thanks Samantha. Your poor dad looks completely freaked out", Angela smiled at Sam thankful for her calming presence. Just then, Sally came to check on her again.

"I just saw your husband take off for the cafeteria as though he were being chased by rabid dogs", she laughed. "How are you doing, Angela? How's the pain level? Do you need pain meds? You have a small window left for an epidural, if you want one."

Angela thought about it for a few seconds, assessing her pain and decided that she could endure it. "I think I'll decline, Sally. I'm actually managing my pain. I remember having an epidural with my first baby and the migraine that followed lasted three days. It's something I'd prefer to avoid. Besides, I have Samantha here helping me through it." Samantha flushed at the compliment and suddenly felt quite important in her role as labour coach. If her dad couldn't handle it, then she would step up and make sure that Angela felt cared for.

Sally checked Angela again and declared that she was now at 8 cm and continuing to progress very rapidly. "It'll be soon now. Another hour or so until you can push, dear. I'll be back to check on you shortly." And with that, Sally left the two women alone again.

Tony returned then, handed Samantha her coffee and sat down in the chair at the foot of the bed. He was jittery enough without coffee.

"I ran into Mona in the waiting room. Here's your hospital bag, Angela. Do you want a magazine? A snack?"

"A magazine or a snack? No thank you, Tony." Clearly Tony was out of touch. How did he think she'd be able to read when these contractions were hitting every minute and lasting at least 30 seconds each? She didn't have much time to pause between the crescendo of waves, ebbing and flowing over her again and again. As for eating a snack; the mere thought of food made Angela nauseated.

Samantha shook her head at her dad's cluelessness and offered to rub Angela's sore back. She suggested to Tony that he rub Angela's feet. She'd read that it helped distract from the pain. And she'd certainly done quite a bit of reading on labour and delivery prior to the big moment. She wanted to be ready. Together, Tony and Samantha helped ease Angela's discomfort, holding her hands through painful contractions, reminding her to breathe properly and speaking words of encouragement. Samantha suggested a warm shower to help with the pain; more information she'd gleaned from books. Tony and Sam helped Angela get under the soothing spray and wash off her party makeup while they were at it. But the contractions were too intense and after only a few minutes in the shower, Angela was ready to get back into her bed. She needed to lean on her coaches, the strength of her contractions was making it impossible to walk or stand.

Sally appeared again. Angela groaned; she hated being checked but submitted to the examination once again. "You're at 10 cm and ready to push!" Sally announced jubilantly. "I just broke your water. It's time, Angela." At that moment, pain radiated through Angela's entire lower abdomen and back. Her suffering increased exponentially with her water breaking. She hadn't known these intense contractions with Jonathan's birth, as she'd been given an epidural back then. This pain was new to her and it was unbearable. She cried out in agony as a strong contraction constricted her belly in a vice-like grip. Tony stroked her hair, trying to reassure her but the breath was knocked out of her and she panted and gasped, trying to regain control of herself.

"Sally, I want pain meds!" Angela cried out, desperate for relief.

"I'm sorry, Angela. It's too late for that now. You're ready to push. I can't give you a thing. Come on, let's adjust this bed for you . . . here you go, sit up. Put your chin to your chest, legs up. Yes, good, just like that. Okay. Now, you've got two helpers so they each get to hold a leg. How perfect is that?" Sally ordered Samantha to grab Angela's left leg and Tony her right one. "Bear down, Angela. I'm going to tell you when and you're going to push as hard as you can. Got it?" Sally was in control now, directing the players in this little drama.

Sally waited for the next contraction and told Angela to push with it. Angela gave it her all but didn't feel as though she was making much headway. The urge to push was strong but she waited for Sally's go-ahead before pushing again. She had to push with the contractions, not ahead of them. Samantha and Tony looked at each other; she excited and he tense. Sam smiled encouragingly at her dad then turned her attention back to Angela. It was time for another push. "Come on Angela, push, push!" Samantha cheered her on.

Sally told her she needed to push harder. But Angela was so tired. She'd woken up early and had had such an emotionally wrenching, exhausting day. She just wanted to put her head down on the pillow and sleep. She began to cry tears of frustration and pain. "I can't push. I'm so tired. _You push_."

Tony saw her self-defeat, knowing he had to encourage her. "Hey, Angela. Look at me. I'm going to sing to you and you're going to listen to me and push. I know you can do it, Sweetheart. It's hard but you're doing a great job. Just a bit longer. Baby has to come out now. Okay?" Tony started singing _The Book of Love_ to her. "_Chapter One says you love her, love her with all your heart_ . . . "and on he sang, encouraging Angela to push while looking into her eyes, trying to distract her.

Angela tried to concentrate on Tony's singing but she was also encountering the well-known _ring of fire_ as her pushes intensified. This pain was no myth-it was absolute agony. Angela became one with her pain. She no longer knew where she ended and it began. Samantha was continually telling her to push, holding her leg in a vice-like grip and Tony's grip was even tighter, despite the fact that her thighs were now slick with sweat. Angela felt like a wishbone about to be split apart. She wondered who would win the wish. She wished she was at home, asleep in her own bed. Sweat was pouring down her back; her hair was drenched and she was running out of steam.

Sally took out the Doppler and monitored the baby's heartbeat. She looked serious when she said that the baby's heart rate was dropping. Angela needed to push harder and deliver this baby immediately. Her frightening words gave Angela the adrenalin surge needed to make the final push. And with one last, incredibly powerful push, the baby's head emerged from the birth canal. The doctor had only arrived a few moments earlier, certain to take credit for the entire delivery. He delivered the baby all the way out.

Samantha watched in absolute fascination, staring as the baby come out and then announced ecstatically, "It's a girl. It's a girl! Yesssss!"

Angela breathed a sigh of relief. The pain was over and she heard the lusty cry of her newborn daughter. She'd secretly been hoping for a girl this time. Tony looked at the baby in amazement. Here she was, brand new and perfect. The doctor handed him the scissors to cut the cord. Tony cut the umbilical cord while Sam and Angela watched him. With tears in his eyes, he stared in awe at this new little person and at the woman who had just brought her into the world. Emotions overwhelmed him as he pressed a kiss to Angela's forehead. "We did it, Angela. Our baby is here." She grabbed his hand and looked over at the baby being weighed on the little scale and examined by the doctor. Sally then wiped the baby down and wrapped her in a blanket. "As you know, it's a girl. Seven pounds, five ounces. A beautiful, healthy, perfect baby girl. Congratulations!" With that, she handed the bundled baby to Angela. "And Happy Birthday to both of you. Time of birth 11:57pm. You've got yourself a heck of a present there", Sally smiled at her then added conspiratorially, "It beats birthday cake, doesn't it?"

Tony and Angela gazed at their new baby in awestruck wonder. She was so tiny and perfect; one little hand covering her face. The doctor tended to Angela to deliver the afterbirth, but she was so caught up admiring her new baby that she barely noticed. Sam went to get Mona in the waiting room while the nurses attended to Angela. Tony held the newborn, feeling a deep surge of love for his baby girl. His baby girl. As far as he and the rest of the world was concerned, there had never been an Andy. This was Angela's and his baby and he loved her as such.

"You did great, Angela. I'm so proud of you. No way could I have done what you just did!" Tony was simply amazed and leaned in to give her a kiss. Then he kissed the new baby on her little hat, staring at her, enthralled by her delicate perfection.

Mona and Samantha came in then; Angela had been given a fresh nursing gown and clean bedding. She and Tony were marvelling at their baby when Angela saw her mother. "Mother, look. It's a girl. She's so beautiful."

Mona had tears of joy in her eyes. Her daughter looked absolutely exhausted yet serene now that she was holding the baby. Mona went to meet the baby and experienced a powerful sense of _deja-vu_. "Oh my goodness, Angela. She looks exactly like you when you were born. Not like Jonathan but exactly like you. It's like seeing the same baby all over again. Oh my! May I hold her?" To see a carbon copy of her own baby forty years later was a bit surreal and the emotional impact of it hit Mona quite profoundly. She held the newborn girl with deep love and kissed her tiny brow. "Congratulations, dear. You did well. Without pain meds, I heard. You're a brave woman and I'm extremely proud of you." Words of praise from Mona to Angela were quite rare, and Angela simply reveled in maternal pride.

Sally reappeared to help Angela nurse the baby. While adjusting the baby and reminding Angela about proper latching techniques, she inquired if the baby had a name yet.

"Not yet", Angela frowned thoughtfully. For some reason, she'd assumed her baby would be a boy. She had some names in mind for boys, Luke, Alexander, Simon . . . but for a girl, she was at a bit of a loss. She peered intently at the newborn's face while she suckled, inhaled her delicious newborn scent and looked up at Tony questioningly.

"You know, Angela. My mother's name was Rosa. Would you consider naming her Rose? She's such a beautiful baby, like a perfect little rose. Your favourite flower, I might add." He looked at her hopefully.

"Rose? Tony, it's perfect. I never would have thought of it but you're right, she's like a perfect, tiny, pink rose. How about Mona for a middle name? Named after her two grandmothers. Rose Mona Micelli? I like the sound of it." Mona was delighted and it was agreed all around that they'd found the perfect name for the newest member of their family.

Sally smiled; she loved seeing families like this where several generations came to support and care for the new mother and baby. She knew this baby would be greatly loved. She turned to Samantha then, and asked to speak to her privately. Startled, Sam followed her into the hospital corridor.

"Hey kid, I saw how you were in there. You impressed me. I haven't seen any teenaged labour coaches like you over the course of my many years as a delivery nurse. You're a natural; you were very reassuring, firm and kept a cool head about yourself. I like that."

Sam was elated at receiving such a wonderful compliment from the grizzled nurse. "Thanks, I asked Angela months ago if I could be here today. And I'm so glad that I was. This experience was just amazing."

"Consider a career in it then." Samantha looked at the nurse and smiled, feeling the metaphorical light bulb go on above her head. This inspiration was exactly what she needed. She'd been slaving through boring courses, failing subjects that didn't interest her, knowing that she hadn't found her path yet. She lacked passion for her studies. But now, she knew what she wanted to do. Sally was right; she felt like a natural and was passionate about helping mothers and babies. Samantha hugged the nurse, thanking her for her wonderful service and words of encouragement. She told her that she'd look into applying to nursing school. Sally smiled, knowing she'd found a kindred spirit in this young woman.

Samantha returned to Angela's room, a huge grin on her face. She'd discuss her nursing plans with them later; having a new purpose energized her and she was simply elated. She went to hold her new baby sister, looked into her precious little face and promised her that she'd be the best big sister ever. Tony decided to stay the night in the hospital room with Angela and Rose but sent Mona and Samantha home to get some sleep. Sam went to kiss Angela goodbye but the new mother was fast asleep already; exhausted from the delivery and her long day.

As they were leaving, Tony reminded them to call Jonathan and inform him of the good news. It was early enough in California that they could still reach him by phone.

When Sam and Mona arrived home, they found Mrs. Rossini watching TV on the couch. They filled her in on the good news. She was very happy that Tony and Angela would be parents all over again and gushed accordingly. Then she informed them that the phone had kept ringing but that she hadn't dared answer it. Samantha saw the red light blinking on the answering machine and went to pick up the messages.

The first message was in heavily accented English. "Hallo, ja, this is Runa. Nobody is there? Please call me back when you pick up message, ja?"

Samantha looked at Mona in surprise. Runa, Michael's girlfriend was calling? Sam skipped to the next message wanting to pick them all up before making phone calls.

"This is Runa again. Hello? Uh Jon have accident. Michael gone in Peru. Please call me." This message sounded a bit frantic.

Samantha's heart started hammering in her chest. Accident? She got her address book, picked up the phone and dialed the long distance number to Michael's house while Mona watched her intently. Runa answered.

"Ja, hallo?"

"Runa? This is Samantha. I'm calling you back about Jonathan. You said he had an accident?"

"Ya, he needs his mudder. Where is his mudder? He broke head, ja?"

"What?! He broke his head! His mother just had a baby. She's in the hospital. Can't you find Michael?"

"Michael has no phone. He be in Peru jungle, filming. I go back to Sweden, no get green card. Ja? Jon in hospital. Hit head surfing. He has a confusion. Not be alone now." Runa was doing her best to explain in her broken English. She hoped the girl on the phone could understand her.

"A confusion? Do you mean a concussion?" Samantha's worry was escalating by the second and Runa's broken English wasn't helping at all.

"Ja, concussion. You come? Doctor said not be alone now. I leaving two days to Sweden."

Samantha put Runa on hold, looked at Mona questioningly. "Mona, Jonathan has a head injury and needs somebody with him right now. Angela obviously can't travel and Dad needs to be with her. One of us has to go. My courses are over for the school year. I think it should be me."

Mona nodded at her. "Yes, you go. I need to be here to run things at the Agency while Angela's taking her maternity leave. Tell Runa you'll get a flight first thing tomorrow. I'll put it on my credit card. Oh gosh, I hope my grandson is alright. See if you can find out more." Mona was shaken. One grandchild born and one injured all on the same day. She sat down on the couch. Mrs. R put her arm around her and Mona didn't even protest.

"Runa? I'll come tomorrow. Is he alright, Runa? Is he going to be okay?" Samantha held her breath.

"Ja, I think so. But he hit head hard. He dizzy. You take care of him?" Runa was greatly relieved to be rid of this responsibility. Michael had dumped her and she didn't want to take care of his teenaged son.

"Please tell Jonathan that I'll be there tomorrow. And tell him he has a new baby sister, Rose. I'll bring him home to meet her when he's allowed to fly." Sam knew that Angela would have a fit knowing that Michael had left Jon alone. No way would she let him stay in California after this. The prodigal son would return. Sam chewed her bottom lip, unsure how she felt about that. But she knew she had to go to him. He needed her now.


	15. Chapter 15, Flight to LA

**Chapter 15:**

The next morning dawned, dreary and grey. Angela awoke to the sound of Rose's crying again. She'd fed her twice during the night already. Now, the baby's wailing woke her out of deep, dreamless slumber leaving her disoriented and drained. Her entire body hurt, especially when sitting on her very sore behind. Angela looked over at Tony's armchair but it was empty. He'd had a rough night too, changing Rose's diapers and keeping track of her feedings and diaper changes on a little chart as per the nurse's instructions. He had handed the baby to Angela for feedings and burped her afterwards so that Angela could get some rest. He had probably been awake most of the night, uncomfortable in the hard, cramped armchair. Angela figured he'd gone to caffeinate himself.

Rose was still crying, so Angela gently eased herself into a sitting position, winced, and picked the baby up, out of the bassinet. The tiny newborn had a powerful voice to be sure. How ironic that new mothers had to be at their most attentive and lose the most sleep right after the most physically gruelling experience of their lifetime. Angela put Rose to her breast again, trying to find the proper latch. Rose was a hungry little thing and impatient to start suckling before Angela could properly angle her onto her breast. How could something so natural be so difficult and painful? This had all seemed a lot easier sixteen years ago. Finally, after some tricky maneuvering, Angela latched the baby on correctly, settled back into her pillows and nursed. She looked down at the newborn, spiky auburn hair sticking up in every direction. Mona's hair, she smiled. Angela felt Rose's warm little body pressed against hers and felt a deep love and connection towards her daughter. She inhaled the delicious scent of her newborn's head and sighed contentedly.

The morning nurses came in to check on her, bringing her breakfast. Angela looked at the hospital food with revulsion; mushy oatmeal, rubbery looking egg, a cup of hot water with a teabag stewing in it for too long and a bowl of not-so-fresh fruit. She'd ask Tony to get her something nice, whenever Tony decided to reappear.

Tony, however, was busy in the corridor with Samantha and Mona. Sam was telling him about Jonathan's head injury, Michael being AWOL and Runa leaving.

"Dad, Mona bought me a ticket. My flight is in a couple of hours so I'm going to head over to the airport directly. Runa is picking me up at LAX; we worked it out early this morning. And don't worry about Billy-Mrs. R. is taking him to Brooklyn for a few days." Sam was resolute in her decision to help Jonathan. She owed it to him.

"Sam, are you sure it's such a good idea for you to go? Maybe Mona could go. What do you know about caring for head injuries?" Tony wasn't sure he wanted his daughter to suddenly take off across the country at a moment's notice.

"I can't go, Tony. Angela entrusted me to keep an eye on the daily running of the Bower Agency. Besides, I want to be here for her and Rose. Samantha probably knows more than I do about concussions." Mona rolled her eyes at Tony's worry. Sam was obviously a responsible young woman, and quite capable of taking an airplane by herself. She'd done it before.

"Yeah but . . . yeah but . . . but yeah. I guess he needs somebody. Poor kid. How am I going to tell Angela about this? Are you sure Runa said he was going to be alright?" Tony sat down. He was worried and exhausted. Samantha sat down beside him, put her arm around him and kissed his cheek.

"It's going to be okay Dad. I know it. Let me tell Angela and say goodbye to her and Rose now."

They made their way to Angela's room together, entering quietly in case she was asleep. Angela was sitting up in bed, nursing Rose when they came in, her breakfast tray untouched.

"Hey you guys", she said softly.

Samantha looked at Angela with trepidation. She had to tell her about Jonathan but wanted to make it as painless as possible. Angela looked completely drained and engrossed with her baby-this was probably the worst possible time for her to learn that her other child was injured. Sam sat on the edge of the bed and gently stroked Rose's head.

"Angela? I don't want you to worry, okay. Because he's going to be alright . . ." she began.

"Who's going to be alright?" Angela's mom-alarm went off suddenly when she saw Sam's tense expression.

"Jonathan hit his head surfing and has a concussion so I'm going to California to help him now. And I'll bring him back here when he's fully recovered. So, don't worry. I've already got my plane ticket. Here, see?" Sam showed her the ticket as though a piece of paper could alleviate Angela's fears.

"He what? Oh my goodness, a concussion? Is he conscious?" Her alarm startled Rose, who suddenly lost her latch and began to cry. "Rose, shhhhh", Angela tried to put the baby back on her breast but Rose was wailing now, her face red, and turned away from her mother.

"Here, Angela, let me hold Rose. Jonathan's fine. Just a bit dizzy so the doctor is making sure that he's not released to an empty house. That's why Samantha's going." Mona tried to reassure her daughter and took Rose out of Angela's arms to try and calm her. It still amazed her how much this baby looked exactly like Angela but with reddish hair, she mused.

"Empty house? What empty house? Where's Michael? And that Swedish girl he lives with?" Angela's face became even paler than it already was.

Samantha took a deep breath, knowing that Angela was about to blow a gasket now. "Angela, please don't freak out, but Michael's in a Peruvian jungle somewhere, unreachable. His girlfriend is going back to Sweden; that's why she called us. _I'm going because you can't_." She held her breath and braced herself.

Angela's eyes widened in horror. "Michael is where?! I knew I shouldn't have trusted him. He's always been a lousy father, what a bastard, ooh I'm going to strangle him when he comes out of that jungle. My poor baby needs me and I can't even go." She looked up at Samantha, panic etched in her eyes. Tony sat down next to her and held her hand.

"Angela, don't worry. Sam will go for you and Jonathan's going to come home for good. Try to relax. It's all going to be okay." Tony wrapped his arms around her, soothing her. He then took the baby from Mona and managed to settle her back at her mother's bosom. Rose started contentedly nursing again, unaware of the drama being played out all around her.

The flight from JFK to LAX was very full and cramped. Samantha was sandwiched between an old lady who smelled like mothballs and a large man who kept coughing. She shot him a dirty look when he didn't cover his mouth. A few rows behind her, a toddler kept screaming and the long legged man right behind her kept bumping her back with his knees when she tried to recline her seat. She fidgeted uncomfortably while desperately trying to relax.

Sam peered over the old lady's head and out the window, staring at the clouds beneath her, lost in her thoughts. She was replaying the events of the previous day. There'd been her dad's discovery that she'd slept with Matt last summer. After a momentary freak-out session, he'd calmed down and grudgingly accepted her choices, more or less. At least she could eat now; the awful lump that had resided in her throat since Matt had dumped her was gone and she was hungry again. She was so relieved to be able to eat, and all it had taken was voicing her regret, telling her father the truth and yelling at him a bit. Well, that and Al's miraculous transformation of her hair. And of course, knowing that Angela was always in her corner, no matter what.

Sam's thoughts shifted over to Angela now. Angela, who looked like a glamorous movie star for the night of her fortieth birthday bash. Angela, whom dad had serenaded and professed to love in front of all of their friends. That thrilled and delighted her immensely. And learning that Dad and Angela had in fact met as children and shared their first kiss at camp was the icing on the cake for her. She knew Fate had brought those two together and smiled at the thought of them all lovey-dovey.

She frowned then, recalling Kathleen's very inappropriate actions at Angela's party. Of all the people, ugh. She couldn't stand that little twit and still harbored some resentment towards her father for risking their family over a roll in the hay. Sam's loyalty would always be to Angela when it came to her dad and other women. When she saw her dad defend Kathleen's job, Sam had wanted to throttle him. She was still planning on giving him a piece of her mind on that one! Mona and Angela were going to have to take numbers after her, ha! Of course, the delivery room wasn't the right place to bring that up.

Finally, Samantha thought about Rose's delivery. It had been heart wrenching to see Angela in so much pain, but the joy and excitement of watching a baby come into the world was simply miraculous. She had focus now and knew that she wanted to apply to nursing school; she was a natural after all. Sally, the nurse had told her so. And tiny baby Rose, so precious and sweet; Sam felt instant love for her new sister. Thankful that her dad had accepted to be Rose's father, Sam valiantly hoped that Andy would never ever cross their paths again. Seeing Kathleen had been bad enough. Why hadn't Dad and Angela just gotten together sooner and avoided meeting those two bad characters? Well, at least they were together now, and planning a wedding for August.

Sam shifted in her seat. Coughing guy's elbow was on her armrest and he was snoring loudly. She was relieved that Billy had gone to Mrs. Rossini's place. With Angela and Dad at the hospital and Mona needing to be at the Bower Agency, there was nobody to take care of Billy. His grandmother would be thrilled to have him nearby for a few days too, she figured. But the thing foremost on Sam's mind wasn't Billy at all. It was her current destination.

Even though Samantha knew that Jonathan was thriving in California; happy with new friends, hobbies and pets, she still felt guilty about his expulsion from home. Rationally, she knew that it had been the best decision but she felt so badly about her role in separating a mother from her son. And for what? Because he'd stupidly kissed her? Had a dumb teenaged crush on her? She should have known. Well, perhaps she had known but had just ignored it because she had no idea what to do with information like that. What was he to her anyway? In the beginning, her dad's boss' smart-mouthed rich kid, then a playmate, hurling snowballs with her at the neighbourhood bullies and introducing her to the world of lizards, snakes and bug hunting. A partner in crime playing pranks on Richard Wellington, secretly searching for hidden Christmas and birthday presents, and a staunch ally defending their parents' relationship while enduring harsh playground gossip.

Then, she'd hit those tumultuous teen years and was embarrassed to be seen hanging out with a younger kid. She was all about her friends then, and boys, makeup, basketball, shopping, clothes, herself and more boys. She'd been mean to Jonathan so many times; refusing to drive him anywhere, insulting him, and shoving him aside while embracing her own teenaged superficiality. She felt badly, remembering all the times he'd knocked at her door, wanting to share something with her. She'd repeatedly told him to get lost, ignoring the hurt in his large, sad eyes. He'd lost a friend in her, she realized miserably.

Then what had happened? She wasn't sure. After all, she'd been so obsessed with her own life. He'd become a teenager himself somewhere along the way. And what had she done? She'd made fun of him for it, laughing at his first whisker, his cracking voice, telling him that no girl would ever like him and coming up with creative insults to torment him. Why had she been so mean to him? Guilt niggled at her conscience now. It was her fault that they'd ended up in a shrink's office for so-called sibling rivalry. The real root of their conflict was her nastiness towards him and him trying so desperately to rekindle their childhood camaraderie.

Samantha sat up abruptly, startling old "mothballs" beside her. She felt truly awful about the night Jonathan had left for California. He'd ambushed her with that kiss; she hadn't seen it coming. No way would she have thought him capable of such a rash, stupid action. Hence the black eye, she rationalized. She'd hurt him physically and emotionally and then _he_ was the one to be sent away, not her. It should have been her. She should have offered to go to a faraway college. Or maybe, they could have worked it out. Could they have? Poor kid was in love with her. What was she supposed to do about that? She shouldn't have invited him to kiss her in the kitchen. It had probably encouraged him more, even though it was supposed to be an apology and goodbye gift. Who did she think she was dispensing her kisses as gifts? Of all the vain, stupid things to offer him—she felt ashamed now.

Ironically, his year away was one of his best and one of her worst. They'd re-cemented their childhood friendship via letter-writing. He had become her confidant, a distant diary she could confess her secrets to. She ended up envying him; his beach life, friends and fun while she hated school, babysat all the time and had zero social life. Jonathan had Rachel. Sam lost Matt. The tables were turned. And judging from his appearance on the birthday video, he wasn't a kid anymore. So where did that leave them? Their parents were common-law partners and engaged to be married. But he wasn't her brother and she didn't feel that he was anyway, having met him shortly before her twelfth birthday. She wanted to be his friend. She wanted his forgiveness for having mistreated him. She didn't know what she felt anymore-guilt, confusion and yet she was looking forward to seeing him again. Looking forward to it but oddly apprehensive too. Would they feel like strangers now that they'd both changed so much? Samantha's thoughts were in turmoil as the plane finally landed.

The airport was busy and Samantha found it hard to find a spot near the carousel to get her luggage. She practically had to shove her way through the wall of sluggish tourists when she saw her suitcase coming around again for the fourth time. She heaved it off the conveyer belt and went in search of Runa. Having no idea what Runa looked like, Sam realised there was an inherent challenge in her quest now. She followed the other passengers to the exit gate and scanned the crowd of people waiting outside the glass doors.

An extremely tall blonde woman was waving at her and pointing to herself. Samantha hesitantly walked over to her, gaping at the sight before her. This woman was at least six feet tall and wearing stilettos to boot. Her skin-tight clothing revealed a body that had clearly been worked on by a plastic surgeon; large breast implants were practically popping out of the hot pink tank top she wore. Samantha looked up at her and asked weakly, "Runa?"

"Ja, I'm Runa. Samantha, you not like your picture very much. You so tiny. Nice to meet you!" Runa grabbed Samantha in a tight hug. Sam didn't want to be rude but being squished against Runa's bouncy beach ball of a chest was scaring her a bit. She pulled back, reeling from the assault on her senses. Runa's perfume was sickeningly sweet and its scent lingered in her hair now. She definitely felt out of her element. Runa led her through the parking lot and to a white Mercedes convertible.

"Samantha, we go to hospital? Ja? Jon is okay to go home with you." Samantha nodded as Runa started the car. Sam stared at Runa's feet, unsure if one was physically able to drive in stilettos. Runa surprised her, handling the car expertly and driving well above the speed limit until they arrived at the freeway. At this point, all traffic came to a near standstill. It was going to be a long drive.

"Too much cars", explained Runa, pointing out the very obvious. Sam wasn't sure what kind of conversation she could have with the Swede so she looked out and about, admiring the different vegetation, the hills in the distance and the incredible number of luxury cars moving at a turtle's pace around them. She wasn't in Connecticut anymore. A light brown smog surrounded them but Sam could still smell the sea nearby. She was looking forward to the beach and hoped that Jonathan would make a quick recovery so that he could show her around a bit.

"So Sam. You be happy to know that Jon much better. He happy you coming." Runa started the conversation.

"He's much better? I'm so relieved. His mother is very worried about him."

"Ja. Doctor said he rest for a week. Then he can fly airplane to meet new baby. He nice boy—not like Michael." Runa added a few Swedish expletives after Michael's name. "He no marry me! I no get green card and he leeeeeve me for Peru." Runa's grip on the steering wheel got tighter and she veered a bit too closely to the car in front of her.

"Hey Runa, big car there. Watch out! Okay. Phew. Michael left you?" Sam hadn't known that.

"Ja. I go Sweden tomorrow. Glad you here."

An hour and a half later, they pulled into the hospital parking lot. From there, Samantha could see the ocean. They were in Malibu now. The air was tangy with the scent of the ocean and no evidence of smog resided here; the fragrant breeze had dispelled it.

The two women walked into the hospital together, a study in contrast. A petite, pale brunette dressed in black towered over by a shiny, loud statuesque blonde. Several heads turned as they strode down the corridor towards Jonathan's room.

Runa burst into the hospital room, exclaiming exuberantly over Jonathan. He cringed slightly at the decibel level produced; the concussion made him sensitive to noise and Runa hurt his head. Samantha hung back shyly, hiding behind the door frame to observe. Jonathan was dressed, his hospital bag packed. He'd clearly been waiting for Runa to come get him. He stood up then and announced that the doctors had signed his release papers. Samantha couldn't get over how tall, tanned and strong he'd become, his shorn hair blonder from the California sun.

"Where's Samantha? Did you drop her off at home first?" Jon then peered behind Runa and saw Sam standing there; a direct response to his query.

"Sam? Hi. I'm so glad you could come." He was startled by her appearance too. She was too thin and fragile looking; dark eyes huge in her pale face. Next to brash, tacky Runa, Sam was pure delicate elegance. He took a sharp intake of breath, stunned by the impact she still had on him. He'd spent the better part of a year convincing himself that he'd evolved beyond a silly teenaged crush. He was dating Rachel after all. But one look at Samantha and he knew he was in trouble. She smiled up at him timidly and approached him for a hug.

She wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned in against him, closing her eyes. She could feel his newfound strength through the thin T-shirt. A lump formed in her throat when she looked up at him, "_Hey Barfbag_", she whispered softly a smile playing on her lips.


	16. Chapter 16, Colic and Apologies

**Chapter 16:**

**_Author's note: _**_Finally my baby's colic can inspire me to something beyond the desire to buy earplugs. _

**Connecticut**

The echo of her baby's cries rang in Angela's head even when Rose was asleep. Hours turned into days and time ceased to have any meaning. Angela had no idea if it was three in the morning or three in the afternoon on a Wednesday or a Saturday. All she knew right now was Rose's piercing wail, the feel of her insistent mouth suckling away and the mountain of dirty diapers. There wasn't much else to her existence these days. She felt like an automaton, bleary-eyed, exhausted, tearful and thirsty. Always so thirsty. From the nursing, the doctor told her. Tony tried to help as much as he could but he wasn't the milk provider, so it was always Angela who was awake, feeding Rose every few hours.

On Rose's third day, Mona bought her daughter a breast pump so that Angela could sleep for more than an hour at a time. Tony wanted to take over some of the nighttime feedings before Angela collapsed from lack of sleep. The smudges under her eyes were permanent fixtures now; she looked as if she was sleepwalking through her days. Rose cried a lot; more than Samantha or Jonathan ever had, her parents realized in dismay. The high pitched shriek would begin at 8 pm and continue until 2 am every single night. During those six hours, Rose refused to nurse, simply emitting a deafening cry no matter how hard her parents tried to comfort her. Tony tried walking Rose up and down the stairs over and over again, which usually quieted Rose for a combined total of ten minutes. During those ten minutes, Angela would hurriedly jump into the shower to wash off the day's sour spit-up. Or, she'd try to inhale some food. She wasn't always successful on either count, going hungry or unwashed in an effort to calm the colicky baby.

Colic. The doctors called it colic. To Angela, it was sheer hell. She had fantasies of running away from home, checking into a hotel and staying there. But then at around 2 am, Rose would suddenly want to nurse and inevitably fall asleep at her mother's breast where she nursed intermittently for a couple of hours. By about 4 am, mother and baby were usually fast asleep until the next wake-up call at dawn.

Tony grew worried about Angela's exhaustion and tried to help as much as he could by holding Rose, admonishing Angela to nap and making sure she remembered to eat. He asked Mrs. Rossini to keep Billy a bit longer; so what if the kid missed a couple weeks of kindergarten—it wasn't exactly rocket science yet. Apparently his grandmother, Mrs. Napoli was beyond thrilled to have her little grandson nearby and had even taken to bringing him home for a few hours at a time, now that she was recovering. Mona moved in while Samantha was away and tried to help as much as she could. Now that Angela was pumping milk, somebody else could feed the baby from time to time. But even with this extra help, Angela was falling down a spiral of baby blues.

During one of Rose's infrequent naps, Angela finally managed to take a couple of hours out for herself. She decided to have a hot bath, shave her legs and take a nap. Such simple things but elusive for her since Rose's birth. Her own reflection scared her these days; she'd never looked so tired or unkempt. Tony knocked at the bathroom door asking if she needed any help in the tub. Memories of their first night together after a sexy bubble bath made him smile. He knew it would be awhile yet before the doctor cleared them to resume intimate relations but he wanted to rub her back or massage her shoulders now.

"No, Tony. Don't come in!" Angela sounded a bit frantic. She didn't want Tony to see her pudgy, post- partum belly.

Alarmed at the tone in her voice, Tony came into the bathroom uninvited. He'd been worried about her mood of late.

"What part of 'don't come in' didn't you understand, Tony!?" Angela covered her midsection up as best she could with her washcloth, turning away from him embarrassed.

"Angela? What's wrong? I just wanted to see how you're doing." For a moment, Tony felt like a mere housekeeper, intrusive and meddling.

"Tony please. I need to be alone. Please just let me have my bath. I don't want you to see me like this." Angela was on the verge of tears, feeling so unattractive and tired.

Tony started to speak. He wanted to reassure her but the look on her face spoke volumes about her need for privacy so he let it slide, this time. He'd have to have a talk with her soon though, he decided.

As he was making his way down the stairs, the doorbell rang. Tony shot a panicked look up the stairs, listening for Rose, then breathed a sigh of relief when he realized she was still asleep. He quietly tiptoed the rest of the way and opened the door.

Kathleen!

"Kathleen, what are you doing here?" Tony blinked in surprise at her sudden appearance and did a double take at her skimpy outfit.

"Hi Tony. I just came to thank you for the other day. Because of you, I kept my job. Here, I baked you some of your favourite cookies—peanut butter. I'm very _grateful_, Tony." Kathleen looked at Tony with longing.

"Forget about it, Kathleen. Uh, thanks for the cookies but you didn't need to come all the way over here." Tony fearfully scanned the staircase for Angela.

"Can I come in for a minute?" Kathleen didn't wait for Tony to answer. She simply sauntered in, sat down on the couch and crossed her legs, forcing her mini skirt to ride up. "Can we talk?" She patted the seat beside her for him to sit down.

"What do you want, Kathleen?" Tony wasn't quite ready to kick her out—she had brought cookies after all. But he felt very uncomfortable with her sitting there.

"I just want to see how you're doing, Tony. Graduation is coming up soon for you—you only have one semester left. Do you have a job lined up yet?" Kathleen was desperate to make small talk with Tony, trying to salvage a connection with him. Seeing him the other night made her realize how much she missed him. And watching him fight for her job had made her fall for him all over again.

Tony perched himself on the edge of the couch to ask her about her graduation plans when Rose started shrieking again. He jumped up quickly, to get her before she disturbed Angela. "Be right back" he told Kathleen before rushing up the stairs. Kathleen stared at his disappearing back in surprise. She hadn't realized the baby was born already. That would mean that Angela wasn't at work. She'd been wanting to catch Tony unawares, in the middle of the workday so they could be alone. She'd heard of men who grew tired of fat, pregnant women and scored a bit of action on the side. Kathleen was hoping and willing to fill that role.

Moments later, Tony returned downstairs with Rose in his arms. He'd shouted through Angela's door for her to stay in the tub. _Please stay in the tub_, he silently pleaded with her. He just needed a few minutes to get rid of Kathleen now.

Rose was still crying; she was hungry and rooting around Tony's chest in frustration. Tony quickly went to the kitchen to get one of the bottles of pumped breast milk out of the fridge. Kathleen followed him in while he was warming up the bottle.

"Oooh, let me see the baby", she cooed at the red-faced, red-haired, screaming newborn.

"This is my daughter, Rose." Tony proudly held out the crying baby for Kathleen to admire.

Then he handed Rose to Kathleen while testing the milk's temperature; he needed both hands for a moment. Kathleen stared at the small baby, searching for Tony's features in her tiny face. Seeing none, she impolitely stated, "Kid doesn't look like you at all."

"Yeah well, she's a newborn. Who can tell anything yet? Mona says she looks exactly like Angela." Rose's true paternity wasn't a subject that Tony ever planned on bringing up with anybody, especially not Kathleen. Rose was his daughter, pure and simple. There would never ever be any mention of Andy to anybody. Rose was a Micelli now, on her birth certificate and in his heart.

Angela heard Rose's cries; her milk was letting down as a result and she needed to nurse immediately. She hastily finished her bath, legs unshaven and hurried down the stairs in her ratty pink bathrobe. She burst into the kitchen, shocked by the sight of Kathleen holding Rose.

"My baby! Give me my baby!" Angela was frantic as she grabbed for Rose. She stared at Tony in alarm and at Kathleen in disbelief.

Kathleen handed the baby over to her hysterical mother and looked at Angela with derision. The woman was an absolute mess; tangled hair tied back in a haphazard pony tail, stubbly legs, no makeup, and dark circles under her eyes, not to mention a visible postpartum belly. Kathleen smiled, satisfied by her own slim body and waxed legs.

"Well, I'd better be going. Congratulations on your baby. And thanks again Tony", she said seductively, before letting herself out.

Using every ounce of self-control she possessed, Angela sat in a kitchen chair and adjusted Rose onto her breast. Then she looked up at Tony and asked, "What the hell was she doing here?" She wanted to scream but kept her voice low for Rose's sake.

Tony sat down beside her. "Angela, she just showed up with cookies. She wanted to thank me for saving her job and make some idle chit chat. No biggie." He looked at her but her head was angled towards the baby and he couldn't see her expression.

"No biggie? No biggie?! Tony, you let her hold my baby! How could you? Did you see what she was wearing? That wasn't an outfit—it was a walking seduction!" Angela maintained restraint over her voice so that Rose would keep feeding. "And I'm still upset about the night of my birthday party. Don't think I've forgotten about that!"

"So, I helped her keep her job. What's so bad about that, Angela? The woman has bills to pay. What, you'd want her to be unemployed? Getting canned is a big deal, Angela. You, of all people should know that. Don't be petty." Tony was returning to the myriad of excuses he'd given Angela on the night of her birthday party. He realized his error, however when he saw the anguish in her dark eyes.

"I'm not being petty, Tony" she began to cry. "Your relationship with Kathleen was devastating to me. I was already in love with you when you decided to sleep with her", Angela shook her head and wiped her tears before they landed on Rose's head. "How could you defend her on my birthday after the way she behaved? Anybody else, Tony . . . anybody else and it wouldn't have mattered so much. But Kathleen? Tony, you hurt me."

"But Angela . . ." Tony wanted to explain himself; the private internal dialogues that had guided his actions. If Angela understood, then perhaps she wouldn't judge him so harshly. He'd only been trying to fix things, after all.

Realizing that she wasn't getting the apology she hoped for, Angela stood up, careful to keep Rose latched on and quietly made her way towards the living room. Tony watched the hunch of her sad shoulders as she walked away from him.

**California**

The kids excitedly chatted non-stop during the ride back from the hospital. Samantha gave Jon all the details about Angela's birthday party and Rose's delivery. She handed him a Polaroid of the baby that the nurse had given her so he could admire his new sister. He, in turn told her about his surfing accident and how he'd stupidly been trying a difficult maneuver to ready himself for a contest that he could no longer even participate in. The delicate bonds of a new friendship were forged during that half hour drive and by the time they arrived at the beach house, each one had a new regard for the other. After sharing part of their childhood, they were discovering a connection that was both familiar and new.

One look at Michael's place and Samantha knew she was in paradise. The house was literally on the beach, with steps running down its side to the sand and surf. The side of the house facing the water was all glass; the rooms inside airy and open with a view of the Pacific Ocean. Samantha couldn't believe the luxury and beauty here. She'd felt this way once before; the day of her move to Connecticut from Brooklyn.

Sam walked around the house in awe, staring out the large windows, marvelling at the height of the ceilings, the sheer spaciousness of the place and the sophisticated décor. This was certainly the most stylish house she'd ever been in, she mused as she plopped her travel-weary self onto a large, white leather sofa. Two black Newfoundland dogs came to sniff at her feet as soon as she sat down.

"Onyx, Shadow, stay down. Sit." Jonathan commanded the dogs so they wouldn't go on the white furniture. "You know Sam, these dogs are bigger than you are. Don't let them sit on you; you're liable to suffocate", he said in jest. The dogs' tails were wagging wildly as he approached them. He'd been in the hospital for 48 hours—an eternity to a dog. He sat beside them and laughed as they started licking his face. His laughter was contagious and soon Sam was on the floor with him, petting the dogs and giggling as they started bringing their chew toys over to play.

"Thanks for coming, Sam. I really appreciate it" Jon told her while she wrestled and laughed with Onyx.

"I should be the one thanking you. This place is incredible. Besides, I really owe you, Jon."

"Owe me?" Jon asked, puzzled.

She looked at him then, suddenly serious and gathered her courage. "Yeah, I owe you. It's my fault you had to leave home . . . it should have been me. I'm sorry about what happened . . . I . . . I . . . wasn't nice to you before," she looked down at the floor before continuing. "Can you forgive me for being such a bitch to you?" She sat quietly, staring at the hardwood floor, holding her breath. She wanted to clear the air with him now. Sam waited but Jon said nothing. She looked up to see him cross over to the large window and stare out at the ocean. Her heart was hammering in her chest. Why didn't he answer her? Did he blame her for his exile from home? She stood up then and approached him silently. He was lost in his own thoughts and didn't hear her until she was standing right next to him.

He turned to look at her; contrition and worry were emanating from her entire being. Jon couldn't believe that she'd just apologized-he'd been waiting to hear that from her for such a long time. He'd already forgiven her for the callous torment she'd visited upon him but seeing her now, beseeching him with her dark eyes overwhelmed him. He swallowed hard before answering, "It's okay Sam. I don't hold anything against you. How could I?"

"So, you don't hate me?" She asked, a slight tremble in her voice.

"Hate you? No! Of course not. Sam, how could you even think that?" He was appalled that the thought had even crossed her mind. "Samantha, you're the most amazing girl . . ." he stopped himself before revealing too much. She flushed under the intensity of his gaze; losing herself in the dark golden hue of his large eyes.

"Hey Sam? How about I show you the beach? I won't be able to show off my surfing 'cause of this dumb concussion. But you can go for a swim if you want. Might feel refreshing after the long flight." This conversation was too intense for him; it was definitely time to lighten the mood.

"You're on!" She smiled at him in relief, her conscience clear. She felt giddy and light as he led her to her room.

"Hope this is okay for your room, Sam. We'll have to share a bathroom like at home but at least this one has a double sink. And I promise not to squeeze the toothpaste from the middle anymore" he joked. Jonathan opened the door to a spacious, modern bedroom with a view of the ocean. She had her own Queen size bed decorated with floral Laura Ashley sheets and pillows. Sam exclaimed happily about her new accommodations, impressed by the lavish extravagance. Jon smiled at her unspoiled enthusiasm and told her he'd meet her at the beach in a few minutes.

Sam looked through her suitcase for her bathing suit, dismayed that she'd had to pack such an old bikini. Everything else was too big, especially on top. She sighed, changed and sighed again as she caught her reflection. She'd lost too much weight; her rib cage was visible. She threw a baggy T-shirt over the whole thing and headed down to the beach.

Runa and Jon were already on the beach, in their bathing suits throwing sticks to the dogs. Samantha still couldn't get over this luxury; this proximity to the ocean and their own private beach. She practically skipped over to them, grabbed a stick and threw it to one of the dogs.

"Hey Jon, shouldn't you be resting? What exactly does post-concussion care entail? I can't imagine that running around with your dogs on the beach constitutes good recovery." Samantha, the nurse-to-be took her job seriously.

"Ja, she right Jon. You sit." Runa grabbed a lounging chair and dragged it through the sand over to Jon, then pushed him into it forcefully. Runa then grabbed Samantha's hand and pulled her towards the water. "You go swim?"

Sam let Runa lead her to the shore but stopped when her feet touched water. She wanted to savour this moment. She dug her toes into the sand and inhaled the scent of the salty water. It was cool and inviting on this hot, cloudless day. The azure sky blended almost seamlessly with the navy sea, creating an uninterrupted blue expanse that beckoned to her now. She threw off her loose T-shirt and ran into the waves, gasping as the cold water hit her belly and then her shoulders. She floated effortlessly on her back, buoyed by the salt and happily splashed around.

Jonathan simply stared at her. She was so beautiful and childlike in her glee. It pleased him to see such an open display of joy. He'd become accustomed to the self-indulgent, entitled and spoiled attitudes of his rich classmates. Samantha's reaction to the house, the dogs, her room and the ocean was refreshing. He shook his head wondering how the next week or so was going to play out. Rachel was coming over later, after her shift at the grocery store. Jon liked Rachel; he really did. She was pretty, smart, sensitive and studious; a great girl all around. And they got along well, were perfect study partners and had fun together too. The main problem in their relationship was one of religion; her parents were pressuring her to date within her own community. So he didn't see a long term future in it but was enjoying her company for the time being. Then there was Sam; the reason he'd ended up in the California in the first place. His misplaced affection for her, the unrequited longing, the black eye. He still shuddered when he thought of that day when he'd pounced on her. How could he have done such a stupid thing? Then, he remembered their kiss in the kitchen; how she'd let him finish what he'd started and secretly allowed him to taste what he'd so desperately wanted. The memory of his lips on hers had helped him through those difficult few weeks after moving out here. The hope that maybe, one day she'd see him differently.

And for a moment, at the hospital when she'd come to get him, he'd gotten a vibe from her. The way she'd hugged him and coyly called him _barfbag_. If Runa hadn't been there, he would have kissed her and he didn't think that she'd pull away this time. No, no, no, that was crazy. She was engaged to Matt. Of course she'd punch him again. Wouldn't she? Runa! Oh god, Runa was leaving tomorrow and he would be alone with Sam. Completely alone with her for an entire week until his exams were through and the doctor cleared him to fly. His stomach did a funny flip flop then, at the thought of them sharing a house with only the dogs as their chaperones. He looked over at her again, splashing in the surf and giggling. The sun sparkled in her wet hair; her lithe body danced in the water reminding him of a water nymph. She was wearing**_ the_** pink bikini—the same one that had awoken his interest in her a couple of years earlier. Of all the bathing suits for her to wear. . . she had to bring that one? He'd fantasized about her in that bikini too many times to remember. He took a deep breath to calm himself. Rachel was coming over later. Rachel, his girlfriend. And Sam had Matt, he reminded himself. And Mom and Tony were getting married. He took another deep breath and looked away from her. He had to think of other things **now** . . . _just stop looking at her_! He grabbed a towel and threw it over his shorts, looking away, conjuring images of road kill, spoiled food, sweaty fat guys, and in-grown toenails until he was finally able to master control of himself again.


	17. Chapter 17, Love and Drugs

**Chapter 17:**

_Author's note: thanks for reminding me of Cardinal Sin, Ashley. _

**Connecticut:**

Tony wasn't sure what to do next. He felt like he should apologize for Kathleen's appearance but it wasn't his fault that she'd shown up, uninvited. Then again, Angela needed reassurance from him. He started making dinner while debating his next move; the mundane and repetitive tasks of washing and cutting vegetables soothed his mind. Mona entered the kitchen then, looking for Tony. Angela had told her about Kathleen's visit and she was incensed. She came up to him and leaned against the kitchen counter, watching him while he chopped potatoes. Tony saw the irate expression on her face and knew he was in trouble now.

"That was one dumbass move today", she began. "Tony, you know I've always been your biggest fan and nobody has rooted more for you than I have. But letting Kathleen come into this house was stupid. Stupid!" She slammed her hand down on the counter to emphasize the word "stupid" and glared at him.

"Mona, I didn't exactly let her in. I opened the door and she just barged in. What was I supposed to do? Kick her out?"

"Yes. You should have kicked her out! Your relationship with Kathleen last summer almost cost you Angela for good. It almost cost you this family. I still cannot believe that you defended her at Angela's birthday party. Of all the dumb, idiotic things to do Tony!"

"Yeah but Mone, she would have been fired. I didn't want that on my head." Tony's argument was wearing thin.

"Tony, if you really wanted to save her job, you could have done it privately with the club. But at Angela's party? In front of her? After the classless stunt Kathleen pulled?" Mona shook her head, still incredulous about the events of that night.

Tony closed his eyes and put a hand to his forehead. He didn't want Kathleen's attentions and she'd certainly been attentive to him today. He wanted Angela to know that he loved only her. Time to swallow his pride, he decided. He nodded at Mona and went upstairs in search of Angela. He found her in the nursery, rocking in the glider watching Rose asleep in her crib. Sleeping? Rose? Tony entered very quietly, not wanting to disturb the baby.

"Hi", he whispered to Angela. He then pointed to the door and indicated with his head for her to join him. Angela hesitated before standing up and following him out of the room into the hallway. Tony took her hand and led her to their bedroom for a tete a tete.

"Angela, we need to talk", he said as they sat down on the bed. "I'm sorry about Kathleen coming over earlier. I didn't invite her. And I don't want her coming around anymore. Ever. Okay?" Tony looked at her, waiting for a reaction.

Angela was looking down at her hands, unsure how to respond. She could feel his penetrating gaze upon her. One look into those puppy dog eyes and she'd melt. So she kept her eyes downcast while she spoke. "Tony, do you remember the baseball convention in St. Louis? When you pretended that I was your wife so that Betty would leave you alone?"

"Of course I remember, Angela." Tony wondered where she was going with this.

"So you remember how upset I was when I kicked you out of our room, after you made out with her?"

"Yeah. That's not something I'd forget." It wasn't one of his best moments and he wasn't particularly thrilled to recall it now.

"Tony, Kathleen is a Betty. She wants you. She doesn't care if you're married or engaged or a new father or anything. The way she went off on us at my party and her impromptu visit today should tell you that." Angela looked up at him now. She could see that Tony was listening attentively, albeit somewhat uncomfortably now.

"Tony, I'm going to ask you a question and I want you to answer honestly. As honestly as you can", she made eye contact with him then. "Tony, did you know that I was in love with you back when we were in St. Louis? Because when you wanted to pretend at being married, I let myself become excited about the possibilities that could entail. You had me, Tony. If you'd just said the word, you would have had me, in your bed that night. Did you know it?" She wanted him to know it for sure now, even if he hadn't known it three years earlier.

Tony cautiously met her gaze. He wasn't sure how to answer this at all. How much had he known back then? Did it matter now? Why was she bringing it up? He searched for words, hoping that whatever came out of his mouth would be the right answer.

"Angela, I knew we had feelings for each other. You know . . . feelings. But 'in love'? Did I know that you were in love with me already? Three years ago?" Answering a question with a question seemed the best strategy for now. "You would have gone to bed with me that weekend, Angela? For real?" Tony's male ego was thrilled.

"Yes. I would have. But did you know that? When you told everybody I was your wife and then tongue tangoed with Betty Boop?" She wanted him to know how badly he'd messed up and use it as a warning for future Betty/Kathleen types.

He looked at her then, as if assessing what she was saying. "I don't know Angela. Back then, the thought of crossing that line of friendship scared me. I wouldn't have wanted to risk what we had . . ." He tried to explain. "Angela, why does it matter now? That was three years ago! And we've been to bed lots of times since then. And I hope . . . ," he took her hand and gazed into her eyes, "I hope that when the doctor says it's okay for you, that we'll make love again. I miss you, Angela."

Angela gave him a small, wan smile. Sex was the furthest thing from her mind at the moment but she hoped that she'd want to again, too. The doctor's rule of thumb was to wait six weeks post-delivery. She had lots of time left before that check-up.

"Tony, I'm just trying to point out how clueless you can be. For years, and I mean _years_, I was quietly in love with you. I stood by while women chased you or you chased them. It was agony, Tony. And I thought those days were over for good. To watch Kathleen making moves on you, wearing a micro-skirt, barging in here with baked goods . . . it makes me a bit crazy! I can't deal with this again. You've got to nip it in the bud if she so much as says 'hello' to you! Are you willing to do that, Tony?"

"Of course, Angela. I don't want Kathleen! No way. I want you. Only you. I'm sorry for being so dense all of those years. We make quite the pair, huh? I wish I'd known you were in love with me back then." Tony paused and considered things for a moment. He tried to imagine a different outcome for their weekend in St. Louis—one in which he hadn't kissed Betty. One in which he'd actually taken a closer look at Angela and not just relegated her to the role of comfortable best friend.

"Hey Angela, I really wish I could go back in time to that weekend in St. Louis. I'd rip your clothes off, throw you on the bed and make mad, passionate love to you. Ooooh, I'd love to have seen the look on your face if I'd tried that three years ago!" He chuckled at the thought and was happy to see her giggling with him.

"Tony, if you'd done that three years ago, I would have participated whole-heartedly and probably shocked the hell out of you! You wouldn't have known what hit you either, buddy!" She put her hand on his cheek, stroking the rough stubble. He hadn't shaved in a few days; they were all falling behind on personal upkeep and sleep these days. She loved this man so much and had no intention of letting any hussy come between them. She pressed her forehead against his and closed her eyes, thankful for him.

"Tony?" she asked, their foreheads still touching.

"Yeah, Angela?"

"If Kathleen even thinks of coming within a hundred feet of this house, I'm going to deck her" she said sweetly.

"You got it, Angela. You can deck me too, while you're at it." He kissed her cheek, then trailed his lips down to hers, ever so softly letting them linger there for a few moments. "Get some rest, Angela. Who knows how long Rose will sleep? I'm making dinner and you can eat it whenever you wake up, okay?" She nodded at him, lay down and was soon fast asleep, a half smile on her face.

In an apartment a few miles away, Kathleen was completely unaware of Tony and Angela's heart to heart. She was planning her next move on Tony. After seeing how badly Angela had let herself go, she figured it was just a matter of simple seduction to win Tony back. No man wanted a woman who couldn't even remember to brush her hair or shave her legs! She'd find out Tony's school schedule; he always took a couple of summer classes. She'd sign up for the same classes; her secretary friend at the university registrar would help her. She looked through her closet searching for the sexiest, most revealing clothes she had. Tony was always a leg man, she remembered. And the best lover she'd ever had. By far! How could she have let him go so easily last time? This time, he wouldn't know what hit him.

**California:**

_Warning: character cannabis use in story_

Rachel finished her shift at Food World, picked up some ready-made food and drove over to Jon's house. She was so relieved that he'd been released from the hospital and that his step-sister was coming to help take care of him. She was also pleased to finally meet somebody from Jon's east coast family. After making the birthday video greeting, she wondered about the people who were watching it. Rachel parked her old VW bug behind the Mercedes convertible and walked up to the front door, balancing her bags of food while trying to ring the doorbell. No answer. She rang again and waited. Rachel sighed, clutched her bags more tightly and walked the steps down to the beach where she found Jon and Runa lounging in beach chairs.

"Hi Sweetie!" Rachel put her bags down and rushed over to Jonathan. "How are you feeling?"

Jonathan stood up when he saw Rachel. "Boy, am I ever glad to see you", the relief in his voice was palpable. He'd just spent the last hour pretending that Samantha wasn't jumping around in the waves in that pink bikini. He grabbed Rachel and kissed her roughly, taking her by surprise. His yearning for Sam was too intense and Rachel was here. He needed to focus on Rachel. Rachel, however, was unaccustomed to being man-handled and she pushed him away, confused. Jon was usually so genteel and gentlemanly with her; his kisses chaste and polite. This wasn't a side of him she'd ever seen before and it flustered her. Reeling from Jon's forceful kiss, she staggered backwards.

Samantha watched the scene unfolding from a few feet away. She had just been about to introduce herself when Jon's behaviour stopped her cold. He'd upset his girlfriend with his heavy-handed show of affection.

"Jon! What's gotten into you? You're embarrassing me." Rachel stood there, arms akimbo glaring at him. Then she turned and saw Samantha hesitating at the water's edge.

Sam knew she'd been spotted so she threw on her T-shirt, walked over to Rachel and introduced herself. "Hi, you must be Rachel. I'm Samantha." They shook hands while Sam assessed her. Rachel was extremely beautiful, she had to concede. Her clear blue eyes contrasted sharply with her black hair and olive skin. She was tall, long-limbed and graceful in her movements.

"Nice to meet you, Samantha. I'm so glad to finally meet a member of Jon's Connecticut family. Your brother has quite the concussion; I'm so glad you could come and help out." She went to touch Jonathan's head feeling for the bump. She turned to Sam, "Wow, feel this big lump!" Rachel pointed out the huge goose-egg on his head.

"Brother?" Sam mouthed to Jonathan with a questioning look. Jon nodded at her, emphatically and covertly motioned for her to be quiet. "Let's see that bump on your head, _bro_." Samantha came right up to him and put her hand on his head, teasing the short, buzzed hair with her fingers. While feigning concern for his noggin, she furtively whispered in his ear, "She has no clue why you got sent away, does she?" Jon shook his head and wished that the earth would swallow him up right now. Samantha was looking at him rather judgementally and he suddenly felt very small.

Time to change the subject. Jonathan looked at the food bags and loudly exclaimed "Oh look, food. Rachel brought food. Let's go inside and eat. I'm starving. Aren't you girls starving too?" Jon picked up the food bags and headed up the stairs to the house, dogs in tow. He hoped to make it through dinner in one piece.

Samantha and Rachel looked at each other and shrugged, then followed Jon up into the house. Runa decided she'd stay put; Jon looked like he had his hands full.

They met up in the kitchen; Jon was serving the food on plates, throwing the occasional piece to the dogs. Rachel announced that she wanted to change out of her grocery store uniform and took off for the bathroom with her stuff.

When they were finally alone, Samantha confronted him. "You told her that I'm your sister?"

"Step-sister. Well, you kind of are, Sam. I mean, Mom and Tony are engaged and living together."

"Are you saying that she doesn't know about the kiss? About why you ended up in California in the first place? About the crush you had on me?" Sam was rather incredulous at this point.

"No, Sam! Why would I tell her that? That I ambushed my housekeeper's daughter! That I had to be sent away because I want you so much?" He spoke in an angry whisper so that Rachel wouldn't overhear, but his use of the present tense was not lost on Sam.

"_Want_ me? You mean 'wanted', right? You're over this crush, aren't you Jon?" She put her hand on his arm and felt it tighten under her touch, his muscle as hard and unyielding as smooth granite. His teeth were also clenched and when he answered her, his voice was harsh.

"Crush? I don't have a _crush_ on you, Samantha." His eyes bore into hers as he looked down at her. It felt strange being so much taller and larger than her now. From this new vantage point, he felt like her equal; not some kid she could simply dismiss anymore. He looked at her white hand on his tanned bicep, a strange new realization dawning on him.

"You don't?" She asked unconvinced. His expression and stance betrayed his words.

"No, I don't have a crush", he said bitterly. "I wouldn't call it that, Sam. God, don't you . . . I thought maybe you . . . never mind. You have Matt." He pulled away from her and went to the sink, dejected. He couldn't deal with this right now, especially not with Rachel in the other room.

"Matt dumped me", she said it so quietly that he almost didn't hear her. Shocked, he slowly turned around to face her. Sam was looking at the floor; the lump in her throat was making its comeback with a cruel vengeance. Just then, Rachel returned, dressed for dinner. A palpable heaviness permeated the kitchen; thick with unasked questions. Jonathan and Samantha avoided looking at each other and quietly filled their plates with food. Rachel wondered what she'd missed; a family fight perhaps? She just hoped it wasn't about her.

All three of them were quiet as they started eating. Rachel sat next to Jon and they both faced Sam at the table. Samantha was shoving her eggroll in dipping sauce and covering it with fried rice, then uncovering it again and swirling it around in more sauce. She avoided looking at either of them and appeared to be perfectly miserable. Jon was staring at Samantha, lost in thought. Rachel just sat there wondering if anybody was going to speak.

"So, uh Sam . . . I hear you guys have a new baby sister." She wanted this depressed-looking girl to talk to her.

For a moment, a tiny smile lit up Sam's face. "Yeah, we do-Rose. She's the most beautiful baby. We have a Polaroid if you want to see what she looks like. And I was lucky enough to participate in her birth; it was so amazing. I want to do it again someday." She shyly looked up at Rachel and added, "I want to become a labour and delivery nurse." Wow, she hadn't told anybody yet. Just saying it made it more real. Jonathan smiled at her in surprise.

"A nurse? Sam, that's great!" He was genuinely pleased for her. He'd seen her directionless and uninterested in her studies for too long. "So, we'll both be in the medical field? Dr. Bower and Nurse Micelli. Hey, maybe we'll work together one day." He gave her a broad grin, dissipating some of the tension between them. Samantha smiled back up at him and flushed. She liked that idea very much.

A warning bell went off in Rachel's subconscious. Why was Jon looking at Sam that way? And why was Sam blushing? The weird vibe made her uncomfortable. So she thought she'd try more small talk; perhaps a new tactic was warranted.

"Sam, nursing is a wonderful career. What does your fiancé think about it? Do you think you'll be applying to nursing schools in New Mexico to be closer to . . . what's his name? Jon, what did you say the name of Sam's fiancé is? The cowboy?" Rachel scrutinized him for a reaction.

A loud silence greeted her question. The sounds of utensils scraping against plates, of chewing, of a foot tapping were deafening. Jon was shoving food into his face as quickly as he could, unable to speak. Sam was pale and had pushed her plate away. She stood up suddenly and blurted, "Matt and I broke up. It's pretty fresh still." And with that, she took off for the beach to be by herself.

Rachel turned to look at her boyfriend, tapped her fingers on the table and demanded some answers.

Samantha tore down the steps to the beach, threw off her T-shirt and ran into the water. It was dusk; the disappearing orange sun glowed in the calm water. Samantha felt adrift; lost. The dreaded throat lump was back and she simply wanted to cry. Memories of Matt's phone call were bad enough but now she was also being tormented by her conversation with Jon in the kitchen. She'd never been so confused in her entire life. Runa was calling to her but Sam yelled back that she wanted to be alone. With a pitying look, Runa headed up the stairs and out of sight.

Alone, Sam splashed and cried; cried and splashed in the setting sun's reflection. She'd been doing so much better. Angela had gotten her to eat. And now, she couldn't even look at her dinner, and the crying was beginning all over again. She cursed Matt. She cursed Betty. She cursed Jon for bringing her here and most of all, she cursed herself for the disconcerting feelings that were awakening deep within her heart. Feelings she couldn't face.

After screaming and stomping in the water some more, Samantha was exhausted. She slowly forced herself onto shore and poured her limp body onto a lounge chair. There wasn't even a towel? She began to cry again, shivering too.

"Now why's a pretty girl like you crying her heart out on this beautiful beach when you could be admiring the sunset?" A deep voice asked her. Startled, Sam turned around to see a wiry young man looking at her with concern in his black, slanted eyes. Max. She recognized him from his picture. Up close, she could definitely see the nonconformist in him. His messy sandy hair was long, past his shoulders and he had several tattoos of Native American symbols. The setting sun lit up his face and Samantha could see a patchwork of scars on his right cheek.

He spoke first. "Samantha? Right? I'm Max. Jon's friend and neighbour. Heard you in distress. Chill out, babe-nothing can be all that bad. Not when the beach and the sky look like they do now. Check it out?" He took off his sweatshirt and handed it to her; the air had cooled significantly and Samantha was shivering. Despite herself, she followed Max's gaze and took in the beauty of the sun setting into the ocean.

"Mind if I smoke?" he asked her.

She shook her head, "go ahead."

Suddenly an acrid stench filled her nostrils. "Yuck, that stinks. What are you smoking?"

"Just a bit of weed. Takes the edge off. Want a drag?" Max handed her the joint.

"I don't do drugs." Samantha knew the spiel and the correct answer had been drilled into her head since Junior High. Don't do drugs.

"Thought it might help—you're obviously upset. When I'm miserable and get a knot in my stomach, this stuff fixes it. Makes me hungry too!" He inhaled deeply and blew the smoke out near Sam's head. The whiff she got was making her feel a bit lightheaded now.

"Hungry? It makes you hungry?" Sam was fearful of the lump in her throat—she'd lost too much weight already.

"Yeah, the munchies. You know?" He looked at her, a steely glint in his black eyes. There was something hard about Max but he was being nice to her now.

Samantha thought of the lump in her throat and knew that she wanted to eat. She looked at Max and took the joint from his fingers, then inhaled deeply. The smoke made her cough and Max laughed at her as he patted her on the back. After the cough subsided, she tried again and again, until she'd finished Max's entire joint.

Sam felt lethargic but her brain was racing. She began to laugh, a crystal clear sound that rang out across the water. It was so funny, really. The water. "Ha ha ha, Max! Look. The water looks so strange", she declared before bursting into a fit of giggles. Max smiled. Ah, a weed virgin. Nothing funnier than watching somebody get stoned for the first time. He laughed along with her.

"See Samantha, you feel better now. Aren't you glad I came along?" Max got her to sit down so that she wouldn't try to swim in her condition.

"So Sam, why were you crying before?" Everything about Max was concise and sharp. He never beat around the bush.

Samantha's brain felt fuzzy and fast. She tried to formulate a response but it made her giggle some more. "Matt dumped me", she laughed hysterically. "He was a cowboy . . . ha ha ha . . . and he had a cow! The cow's name was Betty! That's so funny." She rolled around in the sand clutching her side, laughing and looking at the water turn purple and start to hum. With tears of mirth rolling down her face, she continued, "and Jon, Jon wants me. He really does. He grew, you know. He grew a lot. He's this tall and big now", Sam gestured widely with her arms and pointed at the sky. Then the sky made her laugh and she started giggling again. "He's cute too and I tell him my secrets in letters. The letters flew on an airplane—they were in the sky, Max! But I can't love him or our parents will kill us. They want to get married." And with that, she began to laugh and cry at the same time, rolling in the sand becoming incoherent.

"Come on Sam, let's get you inside. You're not making sense. But you will be hungry." Max helped her up the stairs and let himself in.

Inside the house, Jon was alone, looking miserable. He saw Max helping an obviously stoned Sam into the house and panicked. "What the hell is wrong with her, Max? Did you give her pot?" Jon was livid. Max smoked the stuff every day. It was the only point of contention between the two good friends. Other than his pot head habit, Max was a great friend, surfing teacher and big brother to Jon.

"Hey Jon. She was crying about some break-up and I gave her my joint. She'll be alright when she stops rambling about cows named Betty and purple waves." He chuckled as he deposited Sam onto the couch, all wet and covered in sand. "Where's Rach? I saw her car earlier."

"She went home. It's over between us."

"Whoa, no way! What happened?" Max was interested in this. He'd been attracted to Rachel for quite some time himself.

"I told her the truth about Sam. You know-the stuff I told you about when I moved here. Rachel didn't know that Tony was our housekeeper or any of the real reasons I was sent to California. I'd falsely led her to believe that Sam was my sister. One look at us tonight and Rachel had me caught out. She figured it out before dinner was even over. Am I that transparent?" He looked over at Sam, who was staring out the window, fascinated by the stars, tracing invisible patterns on the glass pane.

"I'm not your sister, silly boy", Sam shook her finger at him, then became mesmerized by her own finger and kept waving it back and forth, watching a trail of little fingers emerge. "Wow", she said.

Max looked at her and laughed. "No wonder you're so hot for her." Then he moved closer to Jon and whispered quietly, "I think she's a bit hot for you too but it's making her crazy. Hard to tell because she's so stoned right now." Max laughed. Then more seriously, added, "So, you okay about Rachel? The break-up?"

Jon nodded. He didn't feel much of anything about Rachel right now. He'd known it was temporary and he also knew that his mom wouldn't let him live with his dad after the Peruvian Jungle abandonment. So back to Connecticut it was and he'd have to break up with Rachel regardless. He looked at Sam lying on the couch in her wet bathing suit and called for Runa to help her.

Runa helped Sam into bed. When she emerged from Sam's room, she announced that she was leaving very early the next morning. Then she looked at Jon and shook her head disapprovingly.

"Ja is stoopid to break up with Rachel now. You let Samantha do drugs? Max not good friend for you or her. You have interesting week, I think! Michael would not like this. Too bad he not here. Good night." And with that, Runa went to bed.

At about four in the morning, Samantha woke up extremely disoriented. She stood up on unsteady feet and padded over to the bathroom. How did she get into her nightgown? Runa? Suddenly, she remembered smoking a joint with Max on the beach. Right. That was a dumb move, she chided herself. But she was hungry now, so hungry! Well at least the joint had fulfilled its promise of the munchies; she was starving. Her voracious appetite led her in search of food. She snuck downstairs to the kitchen and raided the fridge. Leftover Chinese food looked good enough; she nuked it in the microwave and brought the food back to her room. While munching on leftover sweet & sour spareribs, she heard a light knock at her door. Runa?

"Come in", she called out.

Jon entered the room, his face laced with sleep and confusion at the smell of food assaulting his senses.

"You got the munchies, Sam?" He yawned and sat on the edge of her bed, watching her eat. "I can't believe you let Max give you a joint! Samantha, of all the stupid things! I thought you were smarter than that!" He berated her.

"He said it would make me hungry. I've been having a lot of trouble eating lately, Jon. Don't know if you've noticed but I've lost close to twenty pounds here. I need to put it back on."

"Yeah, I noticed. What's wrong Sam? Are you anorexic?" Genuine concern had him worried for her.

"Not anorexic. I took the break-up really hard, Jon. The way Matt dumped me was awful. It's been hard to eat since then. Ever had a lump in your throat? The kind that won't let food in?" She looked at him, sharply aware of his proximity to her. He was all tousled from sleep and wearing only his boxers. His body was tanned and toned, lean and strong. She quickly looked away and concentrated on her food.

"Can't say I've had that problem, Sam. But I do know the pain of being rejected by the one you love. Still, I can't believe Matt dumped you! I can't understand why any guy would dump you. I'm sorry you've been having a rough time with it." He tried to make eye contact but she kept her focus on her plate.

"He was sleeping with somebody else, Jon. And she was there on the phone with him when he dumped me. Takes a lot to get over that humiliation." She stuffed a mouthful of rice into her mouth.

"Sleeping with somebody else? Wow, Ouch. Uh Sam? Did you . . . sleep with him?"

"Regretfully, yes."

At her admission, Jon suddenly felt as though he'd been punched in the stomach, hard. Tears formed behind his eyes and he quickly blinked them away. He took a deep breath and stood up. Samantha followed him with her eyes. Damn, she'd just hurt him and hadn't even realized it.

"Wait, don't go", she called to him.

"Sam, if you don't mind, I need a bit of fresh air. I'm glad you're hungry and I'm sorry Matt hurt you but I need to figure out a few things. Rachel dumped me tonight too." Jon passed Runa's room, noting that it had already been vacated. She had left early alright.

He opened the sliding door and let himself out, down the stairs onto the beach. The moonlight was bright and cast a clear reflection in the water. The waves were almost still and the usual cacophony of seabirds was quiet. He needed to process everything; Sam's arrival, Runa's departure, getting dumped, Sam being dumped, Sam smoking pot . . . he felt as though his chest would burst. He headed towards the water and dug his toes into the wet sand.

"Jon?" Samantha came up to him and put her hand on his arm. Her touch seared his skin. He looked down at her, wishing she'd stayed inside. He needed to be alone right now.

"Rachel dumped you? What happened?" She asked him softly, her voice laced with concern.

"It's okay Sam. It needed to happen before I move back to Connecticut. I told her the truth-the truth about why I came out here. She sensed it, Sam. She said the way we looked at each other gave it away. I'd misled her Sam. She needed to know the truth." He shook his head and added ruefully, "She said I never looked at her like that. She could see that I'm in love with you. So she left." He simply shrugged and continued staring at the ocean.

Samantha's heart was pounding. _He was in love with her_? She came to stand beside him and held his hand. They stood there, side by side looking at the water together in silence. In a moment of unconscious synchronicity, they turned to face each other. She stood on her tiptoes and gently caressed his face with both hands then ran her finger along his lips. "You love me?" She whispered.

He nodded and swallowed hard, just breathing in her beauty. "Oh", she said. Then she looked back up at him, her need apparent. After Matt's rejection, Jon's love melted something that had been so wounded deep in her heart. She wound her hands around his neck and smiled at him. He snaked his arms around her waist and drew her close. They stayed like that for quite some time, frozen in their embrace. When they pulled apart, their eyes met and held for a heartbeat.

"Sam, if I kiss you, promise not to deck me?"

In silent response, she brought her lips to his and lost herself in his hot, hungry kisses.

**Connecticut:**

Tony and Angela were sitting on the couch together, admiring Rose. She was awake and not screaming, contentedly looking up at them and cooing.

"Isn't she the most beautiful baby, Tony?" Angela had gotten more sleep over the last few days and was relaxing and enjoying the baby now.

"Why yes, yes she is. Aren't you, my little Rosie?" Tony held her close to him, peering into her small face. "Daddy loves his Rosie very much. You're the most beautiful girl; well after your mommy, that is." He kissed Rose and smiled as she gurgled at him.

"What colour do you think her eyes are going to be?" Angela wondered out loud.

"Hard to tell yet, Angela. But I think they're getting darker. Deep brown like yours, probably. Mona says she looks exactly like you. And from the baby pictures she showed us, I'd have to agree. You just went and cloned yourself, didn't you?" He teased her.

She smiled, joy flooding her heart. "I guess I did, Tony. I'm so happy that you've taken over some of the nighttime feedings. I'm feeling so much better. Even managed to shave my legs, see?" She held out a smooth, shapely leg to him. Not being able to resist her legs, Tony ran his hand down its silkiness.

"Niiice, Angela. Real nice." He kissed her then, holding Rose between them.

They sat together a few moments longer when Angela suddenly spoke. "Tony, have you heard from the kids? Have they called with a return date yet? I know Jonathan had a couple of exams left but apparently he's quite well recovered from his head injury. They've just been so quiet over there. I'm wondering what's going on." Rose started to fuss, so Angela lifted her T-shirt up to nurse.

"I heard from Sam the other day. She said that Jonathan has one exam left. His head is fine but they're staying a few more days to find doggy daycare until Michael gets back. They still haven't been able to reach him." He looked at her, moved by the sight of her nursing. It was such a beautiful thing to see the baby at her breast.

"Doggy daycare?"

"Yeah, that's what she called it. A dog hotel of sorts. Jonathan is having trouble parting with his dogs—he's very attached to them."

"So are they coming home as soon as they've found the dog hotel thing? I thought it was called a kennel. Californians, huh?"

"I hope so, Angela. But I have to say that Sam sounded kind of weird. Almost like she didn't want to come home."

"Can you blame her? She's in Malibu, in a beach house. Must be a lovely holiday for her." Angela smiled.

"Yeah, but Angela?" Tony was suddenly serious. "What if Jonathan didn't get over his crush? You don't think that those two would . . . you know? I mean, Sam is so vulnerable right now. What if . . . nah! Never mind."

Angela looked at him and shook her head. "No, Tony. They know we're getting married. They wouldn't do that to us. Besides, Sam isn't interested in Jonathan, even if he has a crush on her. She's three years older than him." But a seed of doubt had been planted in her head. She looked at Tony and said, "Let's call them tomorrow and make them commit to a return date home. They're alone in that beach house, Tony. Best to be safe."

Tony nodded in agreement and watched Rose suckling away.


	18. Chapter 18, Stomach Flu from Hell

**Chapter 18**

**Connecticut:**

"What do you mean, she won't give Billy back?" Angela was horrified. Tony had just returned from Brooklyn to bring Billy home but was returning empty handed instead.

"She's his grandmother, Angela. She says she wants to keep him. That she misses her son and that Billy reminds her of him. She says she can take care of him now. What was I supposed to do—kidnap the kid?" Tony was frustrated and upset. When he'd committed to take care of Billy, he figured he was in it for the long haul, not a mere year.

"But Tony, he's happy with us. He was adjusting so well and she's so . . . old!" Angela missed the precocious preschooler and wanted him back. Now that she'd found a rhythm with Rose, she knew that Billy would enjoy being a big brother to the baby.

"Angela, we have two options here. We can fight this in court or respect her wishes. She's his family. She did say that if she's ever unable to take care of Billy, she'll ask us to take care of him again. I told her yes."

"She's pretty old. Do you think we might get him back soon?" Oh that sounded terrible. "Not that I'm saying I want anything to happen to Mrs. Napoli, Tony. But really, the woman is in her seventies! She's older than Mother."

"I don't know, Angela. But I don't want to go to court. We have a new baby and I'm going to graduate soon. Need to start thinking about a job. It's a crazy time. Not to mention those kids of ours. Have they called us back yet? How many messages have we left them? I'm not getting a good feelin' about this Angela. They're ignoring us!"

"Tony, they called while you were in Brooklyn. You're not going to like this. Still no return date; they're both sick with the stomach flu. Jonathan's friend and neighbour, Max came to help them out. Which brings me to my next point. Max is going to take both dogs until Michael gets back. So they can't use that doggy hotel _excuse _anymore." Angela shook her head, wondering when she'd ever see her son again.

"Doggy hotel_ excuse_? Is that what you think it was, Angela? An excuse?" Tony was loathe to admit it but he was becoming worried about Samantha's long stay at the beach house. One week had turned into two very quickly. Sam was vulnerable and fragile right now; still recovering from heartbreak and depression. Then Tony remembered how much larger and stronger Jonathan looked on Angela's birthday greeting video. It made him very nervous, considering that the kid was completely besotted with his daughter. He'd ambushed her once already. Tony had a sudden moment of panic, imagining this older, bigger Jonathan seizing Sam in a lip lock against her will.

"Angela, you don't think that Jonathan would grab or kiss Sam again, do you?" Unexpected worry for his daughter's well-being prompted him to voice his distress without tempering the effect of his words.

"What?! Tony, no. He's happy with Rachel and he's matured. Besides, Sam can deck him if he even tries to get out of line." Angela was a bit offended that Tony had even thought of it.

"Right. Right. The girlfriend. Sorry Angela. I don't know what I was thinking. Jonathan's a good kid." Tony still felt unsettled though. "I'm going to call them", he abruptly decided.

Tony dialed the beach house and waited. Finally, after about twelve rings, the phone picked up. A very weak sounding Jonathan answered.

"Hello?" Jonathan sounded terrible.

"Jonathan? Are you okay? It's Tony. I hear you kids are sick. Wanted to check up on you." Tony wanted to check up on them alright. And not just because of the stomach flu.

"Tony, I want to die. We're so sick. Can't stop throwing up. God . . . I'm gonna be sick . . . hold on", Tony heard retching in the background and shuddered.

"Dad?" Sam picked up the phone while Jon was incapacitated.

"Hi Sweetheart. How are you feeling?"

"Dad, I've never been so sick in my life. This is the stomach flu from hell."

"Oooh, you poor baby. Sam, remember, lots of fluids! Have this Max kid bring you ginger ale and pedialyte. You need to stay hydrated. Do you kids have Peptobismol? Immodium? Maybe I should come and help!"

"No! No, Dad, don't come. We're managing. Max bought us what we need-he's great." The last thing Sam wanted was Tony coming and figuring things out. She and Jon had the beginning of a budding romance and her dad would be sure to notice. Budding until they both started barfing their guts out, that is. Right now, they were merely trying to stay alive.

"Well in that case, I'm glad that Max kid is helping out. Thank him for me. Uh . . . Sam . . . what about Jonathan's girlfriend? Rachel? Is she coming by to help too?" Tony needed to know.

Silence.

"Sam?"

"Dad, gotta go, nature's calling." And with that she hung up on him.

Tony stared dumbly at the receiver, its deriding dial tone disparaging his efforts.

"She hung up on me" he said incredulously.

"What did she say?"

"They're sick as dogs. Maybe I should go and take care of them." Tony wanted to go and check up on them. He couldn't get certain ideas out of his mind now. "Angela, she didn't answer me about Rachel. I'm getting worried here."

"Tony, you can't go. Your summer course starts in three days and besides, I need your help with Rose. I have to go into the office for a few hours tomorrow to meet a new client. They'll be fine. As soon as they're recovered from this bug, they're flying home. I'm going to insist. I miss my son, Tony." Angela looked at Tony's worried expression and felt those same seeds of doubt niggling at her.

Tony stared at Angela; his concern was mirrored in her eyes. Angela bit her lip.

"Tony, we should start planning for the wedding a bit more seriously, don't you think? We've barely done anything. Somehow I doubt we'll be ready by August. That's only two months away."

"So, are you thinking something quick and small then? Justice of the Peace? City Hall?"

"City Hall is fine, Tony. An intimate reception at home after? We did a big bash for my birthday already; we don't need to do anything fancy. You, me, Mother, the kids, Mrs. Rossini? How's that?"

"That's great, Angela. I'm sure Mrs. R will offer to cook up some stuff. We can get the rest catered. You know, Angela, we can probably plan that in the span of a week." Tony nodded thoughtfully, thinking of the details that needed to be taken care of.

"Ok, then it's settled. We'll plan it right away and get married next week. Forces the kids to come home too." Angela was relieved to have important decisions resolved.

"Angela, what about a honeymoon?" Tony came up to Angela, wrapped his arms around her and started nibbling on her earlobe.

"Tony, can we hold off on that a bit? I need the doctor's go-ahead and besides, do you really want to take off and leave the kids alone?"

"Uh, no. I don't want to leave the kids alone, Angela. You're right. So, I guess we're going to have a pretty boring wedding night, huh? Without the doctor's go-ahead?" Tony couldn't contain the disappointment in his voice.

"Sorry Tony. It can't be helped", Angela was moved by Tony's crestfallen expression. "But you know, Tony, I can think of other ways we can celebrate. You once gave me a night just for me. I can do the same for you. Don't worry, our wedding night will have a happy ending" she grinned at him seductively and put her open mouth on his, giving him a taste of the pleasure awaiting him.

**California:**

Sam woke up on the hard tiled bathroom floor where she'd made a make-shift bed beside the porcelain bowl. She tried to sit up but a wave of dizziness overcame her. She wondered how she was going to make it to the toilet, let alone take a shower. She and Jon had never been so sick in their lives; they'd been throwing up and running to the toilet for 48 hours now. She couldn't remember ever feeling so awful. And the timing couldn't have been worse. She and Jon were slowly figuring things out, gently testing their new feelings. Well her new feelings; he'd had his for years now.

They were taking it slow. So very slow. After that kiss on the beach, Sam felt confused but her heart pulled her towards Jon. His love for her was so unconditional; she'd never known that from a boy. She thought back to the boys she'd fallen for in the past; Chad McCann had kissed another girl, Todd hadn't been able to handle her better basketball skills, Jesse had unceremoniously dumped her, and Matt had slept with another girl. She couldn't even get a cute guy to dance with her at Angela's party. She'd been feeling unattractive, skinny and shattered; her confidence at an all-time low.

But Jon? The depth of her feelings surprised her. They'd grown up together since she was barely twelve. It was kind of weird. Her rational brain was at war with her emotions but she felt deeply connected to him and loved him. Yes, she did love him. And now, she was attracted to him too. He'd changed so much during their time apart; his lanky golden body was tall, strong and perfect. And every time he looked at her with his large, hazel eyes, she could see the love in them. Her damaged emotions were healing under his kindness and the horrible throat lump had disappeared for good. Over the past week, he'd wooed her constantly, making her special power protein shakes to fatten her up, picking wild flower bouquets, sitting through a Molly Ringwald marathon, and most importantly listening. He listened to her like no other boy ever had. The fragile shards of her heart were gradually being restored by his affection and gentleness.

She'd categorically informed him that she had absolutely no intention of sleeping with him, at least not until he was in college, and even then she wasn't making promises. She'd expected a tantrum but got none. His maturity surprised her when he agreed on that point. He said they weren't ready. He wanted her to know that he loved her for her. Sam felt unrushed and adored. So she relaxed and began to enjoy this new dimension to their friendship. They held hands now, talked non-stop, cuddled on the couch in front of the TV, swam together every day and took the dogs for long walks along the beach. And they kissed. They did that a lot but never let it get out of hand; Sam always knew when to slam on the brakes after a heavy duty make out session. It wasn't easy but it was best this way.

After a mere week of adjusting to their new relationship, he was hit with the stomach flu—she followed a day later. In desperation, they'd called Max to buy them medicine, ginger ale, broth and toilet paper. Sam was very thankful for Max's reliable presence next door. He took care of the dogs for them and promised to take them in when they left California. Not that she wanted to leave California, ever. They were living in an otherworldly paradise, unfettered by real life, family or the need for secrecy. But they were starting to run out of excuses for Dad and Angela. Jon had finished his final exam, the dogs had a new home and the stomach flu would be over soon enough. Jon already felt better; Sam figured she had another twelve or so hours to suffer through.

Samantha tried to sit up again. She felt nauseated. Slowly, she raised her head, then her torso. Another wave of nausea hit her and she was violently ill; some of it landing in her hair and on her nightgown. Ugh, she felt so gross and desperately wanted a shower. She stood up, swayed and landed hard on the toilet. Come on, she told herself, the shower was only three feet away. She could do this. She had to do this. She forced herself up and unsteadily made it to the shower. After discarding her vomit-soiled nightgown, Sam turned on the hot shower spray and stood there. Her entire body trembled from weakness, dehydration and lack of food; her legs could barely hold her up. She quickly grabbed the shampoo and squirted a generous amount for her hair and lathered-the effort was making her dizzy. Soap . . . where was the soap. She stumbled around in the shower until she found it on the floor; she leaned down and stood up feeling faint. Quickly she rinsed the shampoo and lathered herself up all over with soap. She wanted to get the sickness and sour smell off of her. She scrubbed a second time, desperate to feel clean again. Satisfied with her efforts, she turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. As she reached for her towel, it suddenly appeared further away; her vision blurred and went dark. Then there was nothingness.

Jon was downstairs when he heard a loud thud upstairs. He raced up the stairs looking for Samantha. He quickly searched the upper floor and found her on the bathroom floor. "Sam? Sam! Wake up!" Nothing. She was unresponsive, lost to him. For a heart-stopping, horrifying moment, he thought her to be dead; she was so white and cold, her lips blue. Terror seized his heart and he thought he would die too. He felt for a pulse, breathed again and dialled 911.

Voices were coming from far away. They sounded serious but Sam couldn't understand what they were saying. Sweet water was being spooned into her mouth but she couldn't swallow and it spilled back out. She felt hands supporting her head and warm blankets all around her. Where was she?

"She needs an IV. We're bringing her to the hospital for observation", a voice said.

Still weak from his own flu, Jon mutely followed the paramedics and rode in the ambulance with Sam. She was deathly pale but starting to come around. The paramedics had started a rehydration and anti-nausea IV in the ambulance and it was taking effect.

"Jon?" she asked weakly through parched lips. "Whaaat? Where?" She looked completely disoriented and frightened.

"It's okay Sam. It's okay. I'm here with you. You fainted from dehydration. You're in an ambulance now and you're going to be fine. God Sam, I never want to lose you, ever!" He held her hand in his and squeezed it hard in an unconscious attempt to give her his strength.

The terror he'd felt when he thought she was dead had overwhelmed him and he'd been shaking like a leaf ever since. He couldn't lose her—not now and not ever. He didn't care what his mother or Tony thought or said; there was no way that he would ever give Sam up.

Sam woke up to see Jon sleeping in a hard chair beside her cot. The ER? Little flashbacks of being in the shower and then the ambulance came back to her. It was all very foggy though. But the nausea was finally gone and her stomach had settled.

"Jon? Wake up", she called to him.

"Hey, you're awake" he groggily responded to her. "How are you feeling?"

"Like death warmed over. But that's better than how I felt before."

"Sam, you scared me. Don't ever do that again! God, I thought you were dead when I found you on that bathroom floor." He shuddered at the memory of her lifeless looking body.

"Bathroom floor? Out of the shower?" she asked worriedly.

"Yeah, I don't know why you tried to take a shower in your condition. Sam, you should have called me. I would have helped you."

"Yeah, I bet you would have. So, got a good look at everything, did you?" She blushed, embarrassed.

"Believe it or not Sam, but I was too distracted by the fear that you were dead. I wasn't checking you out, so relax." He shook his head at her silly concerns.

"You really thought I was dead?"

"Yeah. Don't ever do that again. Or I'll kill you," he joked.

She smiled at him and held his hand, thankful that he'd saved her life and thankful for his reassuring presence and love.

Max came to pick them up later that day when Samantha was discharged.

"You two sure log a lot of hospital time between concussions and the flu. Are you sure you can survive?" He jested as he handed Sam a bag he'd quickly packed for her.

"Thank you Max. Thank you so much for everything. I don't know what we would have done without you" Sam was extremely grateful to her new friend.

"No problem, Sam. But you guys should know. Uh . . . how do I tell you this? I answered your phone when I was getting your stuff. The damned thing wouldn't stop ringing. It was your dad, Sam. I told him that I was picking you up from the ER and it totally freaked him out. Tried to reassure him but he said he wanted to come here and bring you home. Your dad is pretty intense, Sam."

"Tony's coming here?!" Jonathan panicked.

"Oh no. Jon, we have to call him and tell him not to come!"

When the kids arrived home, the first thing they did was call home.

Jonathan called while Samantha listened to his end of the conversation. She felt weak and wasn't in the mood to argue with her father so she let Jon handle it for her.

"Hi Tony. Yes, we're home. No, no, no, she's alright now. Don't worry. Yes, she's fine. She's resting though.

_ Pause. _Dehydration, actually. _Pause._ No, listen, they gave her an IV for twelve hours. We're over the flu now. _Pause._ Yes Tony. Yes. Uh-huh. No. No, you don't need to come! _Long pause._ She did?! Oh.

Hold on, I'll grab a pen. Uh-huh. Yup. Okay. Sure. Tomorrow then. Yeah, I think she'll be okay to fly.

Sorry, what?! When? City Hall? _Pause._ Oh. _Long_ _pause_. Yes, I'm still here. Ok, we'll see you tomorrow then. Bye." Jonathan hung up the phone looking a bit shell shocked.

"What? What fly tomorrow? What's going on? Is he coming here?" Samantha was desperate to know what was going on.

"He's not coming here. We're going home. My mom bought us two plane tickets; I wrote down all the information. They're waiting for us at the ticket counter for American Airlines. We leave tomorrow afternoon, Sam. And Sam?" He sat down beside her and took her hands in his, "They're getting married next week at City Hall. You're the maid of honor and I'm the best man."


	19. Chapter 19, Going Home

**Chapter 19:**

**California:**

Jon and Sam were both feeling morose and miserable on the day of their departure from Malibu. In the hours preceding their flight, they slowly meandered up and down the beach with Onyx and Shadow in tow. Sensing a shift in their mood, the dogs stuck to the kids like glue.

"It's so beautiful here. I wish I could stay forever", Sam sighed. She did not feel ready to go home at all. She gazed longingly at the ocean, relished the feel of the grainy sand under her feet and tried to capture the moment, to preserve it in her heart. She looked up at Jon and squeezed his hand hard.

"Yeah me too. Forever. With you." Jon turned to look at Sam and looked deeply into her eyes. A bit of her colour had come back but she still looked fragile and tired from her ordeal. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly against him, feeling protective.

"Jon? How is this going to work at home? We can't let them know. They wouldn't understand. They'll try to break us apart for sure."

"I know. Damn." he swore softly. "It's not fair, Sam. Their happiness and ours is mutually exclusive. We're going to have to keep it under wraps. Remember how quickly Rachel guessed about us? We're going to have to hide it well. If they only see me look at you, they'll know. Especially Grandma—she has an extra radar for stuff like this." He shook his head ruefully.

"Keep it under wraps? You mean 'sneak around', right? While living in the same house with them? And then there's the wedding. How are we going to make it through their wedding? God, I've wanted them to get married since about '86. And now . . . they deserve to be happy Jon. They waited so many years. Why the hell did they wait so long?" That was something Sam truly couldn't understand.

"Who knows? Pride? Fear? Stupidity? Whatever their reasons, I think it messed us up a bit-all that secrecy and defending their _platonic_ relationship to the world. It was so obvious how in love they were. When I was a kid, I wanted them to get married too", he squeezed her even more tightly and planted a kiss on the top of her head. "But now, I'd rather marry _you_ someday."

Samantha pulled out of his embrace and stared at him, eyes wide and unblinking. "What?"

"Someday Samantha. _ Someday_. I'm not asking you _now_. Geez, relax, I'm only sixteen. But I've been thinking about the future. You know I only have one semester of high school left. I'm starting my college applications in a few weeks. Going to apply to Harvard, Stanford and Princeton for pre-med. By the way, Harvard has an excellent School of Nursing. We could apply together."

"Harvard?! Are you kidding me? I'd never get into Harvard. My grades suck. Besides, I have to do some science prerequisites this coming semester, at Ridgemont College." She rolled her eyes. Harvard indeed. As if she had the money or grades for that.

"I can help you with those science courses, Boo." Boo was Jon's affectionate new nickname for Samantha-he'd spontaneously come up with it. 'Boo', it just fit her, he thought.

"If you work really hard, you can apply for a transfer. It won't be as hard as applying out of high school. We'll have less than a year left at home. Do you think you can handle that? Mom and Tony kept their feelings a secret, _from each other no less_, for almost seven years! We just need to make it through the next few months. We can make it through-concentrate on our studies, have a plan, and then we're on our own. We can do whatever we want to, then." He looked so hopeful that she didn't have the heart to contradict him. But she seriously doubted that she'd ever get into Harvard or that their parents would simply let them do whatever they wanted.

**Connecticut:**

"Tony, is it time to leave for the airport yet?" Angela was anxiously pacing the living room, impatient to head out to the airport. She hadn't seen her son for the better part of a year and missed him terribly.

"Five more minutes, Angela. I'm just getting Rosie settled. Isn't Mona here yet?" Tony called down the stairs to her.

As if on cue, Mona arrived through the back door, ready to babysit. They'd decided to leave Rose at home and let her sleep, as it was getting quite late. "I'm here, I'm here, had to send my date home early. Where's Rose?" she asked.

"Sleeping, Mother. There's breast milk in the fridge in case she wakes up. Tony, let's go! We might get stuck in traffic. Their flight might be early. Come on, hurry up!" Angela practically bolted out the door the second Tony made it down the stairs.

**American Airlines Flight 524**

Sam and Jon were preparing to land and re-inhabit the world of their childhood. They were quiet as the plane approached JFK and began to circle the airport. Jon squeezed her hand and she squeezed his back, hard, digging her nails into his palm.

"Sam, let's go over the rules once more, okay?"

"Again? Okay . . . uh, rule number one, you can't really look at me or they'll guess. Rule number two, no kissing in the house. Rule number three, no holding hands. Rule number four, go on the occasional date with other people. Rule number five, pretend to fight from time to time. Ugh. . .what was rule six again? These are a bit crazy, don't you think?" Sam was racking her brain trying to recall rule number six.

"Rule number six", he reminded her, "be_ really_ happy about the wedding. Over the top enthusiasm, okay? Sam, it's important that we pretend that there's absolutely nothing between us. You know they won't get it." Jon was adamant on this plan. He wanted their relationship to be beyond parental suspicion, at least until they both left home. Then, he simply didn't care because nobody could ever keep him away from Samantha. But first, they needed to make it through the next few months and fly below the radar.

"Jon, how are you supposed to 'not look at me'? And don't you think that inventing fights and dating other people is over the top? What if you meet a girl you like?" She didn't like that rule one bit.

"I won't, Sam. I can promise you that. I'm in love with you and no other girl even remotely interests me. I dated Rachel for months and was merely fond of her. And she was gorgeous!"

"Heyyyyy!" She elbowed him in the ribs.

In response, he kissed her. "Sam, this is it. We're getting ready to land. Last kiss, so let's make it last us for a while." He cupped her face in his hands and gently drew her to him. Their bittersweet kiss had a feel of desperation to it; they clung to each other as though their lives depended on it. When they pulled apart, she felt like crying.

"Oh no, Jon. Oh no, it's back!" she began to panic, eyes fearful.

"What's back?"

"The throat lump. It's returning. Jon, I don't know if I can do this-this pretending. I need you!" She tried to bury her face in his neck but the flight attendant asked her to sit back in her seat and fasten her seatbelt for the landing.

"Sam, we can do this. I still love you, Boo. Remember that. No matter how much we have to pretend, I love you more than you can even imagine. And we'll find some space and time to be together, when we're out. We can go out, you know? We have a car; it may be the ugliest, yellow eyesore known to man, but it'll give us a bit of freedom." He squeezed her hand in reassurance and watched her relax a tiny bit. Their hands remained tightly clasped until it was time to disembark.

**JFK Airport**

Tony and Angela were standing against the gate, having practically shoved their way through the throng of waiting people.

"There they are, Tony! There they are!" Angela excitedly pointed and called out to a young man and woman walking towards the exit gate but then realized that it wasn't Sam and Jon after all. "Oh, ooops."

"Yeah 'ooooops', Angela. Sam's not Asian. Will you calm down, already? This is their flight and they're on it, so let them get back from the secure baggage claim area." Tony was anxious to see the kids too but he wasn't about to jump on every exiting passenger.

Sam and Jon stood by the baggage claim unaware that Angela was impatiently jumping out of her skin a mere few feet away. Jon wanted to see his mom-he'd missed her but right now his thoughts were on the tiny brunette beside him. Sam simply looked worn-out.

"Hey Boo, how are you feeling?" She sat slumped on a bench beside the carousel, ignoring their suitcases reappearing over and over again.

"A bit shaky. I was only released from the hospital yesterday. I need some juice. And I'm worried. Worried that they'll guess. You do realize that they'll send me packing to the dorm if that happens." She started biting her nails.

"That's why we have 'the rules'. Don't worry Sam." He sat beside her and wrapped her up in a final hug. "Come on, we have to go. Our luggage is the only stuff left on the carousel!" He grabbed their suitcases and they walked together towards the exit.

Tony and Angela had spent half an hour watching passenger after passenger walk out of the Arrivals gate, meeting up with loved ones and then leave. Nobody had exited for several minutes and they were starting to worry that the kids had missed their flight. Angela turned to Tony in confusion. "Tony, what if they didn't make it onto the flight? Everybody's gone home!" She was about to cry.

"No, Angela. Wait. There they are! For real." Tony pointed to Jonathan and Samantha exiting the gate. Jon was pushing a baggage cart that held both of their suitcases as well as Sam, sitting on top of the luggage.

Tony jumped up and enthusiastically waved to them. Angela started gushing before even reaching them. "Tony, look at him. He's grown so much. My goodness, he's become so handsome. Finally, my baby's home."

"Angela, that ain't no baby anymore. The kid's taller than I am!" Tony was stunned by how much Jonathan had grown and filled out.

Jon carefully manoeuvered the cart towards his mom and Tony, trying not to jostle Sam, who was precariously perched on top of her suitcase.

"Hi Mom, hi Tony." Jon embraced his mother tightly. Angela held him so tightly, he felt as though his ribs would crack but he submitted to her maternal affections before finding himself in Tony's equally strong bear hug. Samantha just sat on the suitcase trolley, swallowing hard. The lump in her throat was back at full strength now and she was holding back tears.

"Hi Honey", Tony walked up to his daughter. "You alright, Sam?"

She nodded, not trusting her voice because of that damned lump. She needed sugar or juice though-Jon knew that. She tried to make eye contact with him so he'd remember but he was deliberately looking away from her. Tony pulled her up into a hug and she held onto him tightly, then quickly whispered, "Dad, I need juice please." Clearly Jon wasn't going to get it for her now. It was such a small, insignificant thing but it made her feel as though she'd just lost her best friend. He was planning on ignoring her. How was she supposed to cope with that? She burrowed more deeply into her father's shirt, wishing she could be a little girl again, with Daddy to lean on.

"I'll get you some juice, Sam. You look pale. Here sit back down on the baggage cart. I'll push it." Tony took over doing what he did best; fixing things and taking care of everybody's needs. Angela greeted Sam while Tony went to find a vending machine.

"Samantha, I'm so glad you're back too. You poor thing; that stomach flu really did a number on you. I hope you were okay to fly back today." Angela embraced her, feeling guilty for insisting that the children fly back so soon after being sick. Jonathan looked well but Sam just seemed a bit listless and dejected.

Sam nodded but couldn't speak. When Tony reappeared with an apple juice, she gratefully sipped it, and stayed quiet.

The kids didn't speak much on the drive home from the airport. Angela was doing most of the talking; telling Jonathan all about Rose and how Mrs. Napoli had kept Billy.

Sam interrupted her. "Angela, is that my fault? I'm the one who called Mrs. R to take care of Billy before leaving for California. Maybe his grandma wouldn't have taken him if I hadn't done that." Sam felt terrible and looked to Jonathan for comfort but he was looking out of the window.

"No, Honey, don't blame yourself. She said she was planning on asking for him back regardless. You did the right thing. And Sam, I thank you. I thank you for taking off at the last minute to fly across the country and help my son. It means a lot to me that you would do that. How was your stay? Did you two have fun? Before the stomach flu?" Angela looked at the kids in the rear view mirror. They weren't paying any attention to each other. She felt her previous worry start to dissipate.

Sam thought carefully before answering. "It was nice, Angela. Staying near the beach like that. Michael's house is amazing and I loved the dogs. And Max is a great guy. He and I got along great." She tried to make it seem like more than it was. Jon imperceptibly nodded his head.

"You and Max, aaaay", Tony sounded happy about that news. "He seems like a great kid, that Max. He sure helped you guys."

"Yeah, but Dad . . . you know, we're just friends. I liked him, that's all. He's in California. Long distance doesn't work; I've learned that already." She wasn't quite ready to carry on a huge charade or use her friend without his knowledge.

"Speaking of long distance relationships, how are things with Rachel?" Angela asked her son.

Jonathan replied, "I can honestly say that it's torture not being able to be with the girl you love more than anything in the world." He snuck a quick glance at Sam when their parents weren't looking, figuring that he hadn't lied. He had simply not answered his mother's question.

"You poor kid", Tony felt sorry for him. "Well, maybe she'll come visit you, eh? I'm real sorry your dad abandoned you like that and that you had to leave your girlfriend. But you know, Rachel is welcome anytime."

Dishonesty was making Sam uneasy, and she squirmed in her seat. She recognized just how brutal this whole charade and rule-keeping was going to be and was dreading it. She just wanted to be with her boyfriend, openly. The secrecy made her realize how awful it must have been for Jon before he left for California, when he was already in love with her and she was so mean to him. She instinctively slid her hand across the empty middle seat and grabbed his hand; seeking a connection.

Jon took a deep breath and pulled away from her, shoving his hand under his leg. He had to think of the greater good; of their future together. But seeing the sadness in her eyes was killing him. When she'd worried about being the cause of Billy's departure, he'd wanted to hug and reassure her. Ignoring her right now was the hardest thing he'd ever done, but they had to follow the rules if they wanted a hope in hell of making it later.

When they finally arrived home, it was well after midnight and everybody was exhausted. They entered the house to the sound of Rose howling in outrage while Mona tried to give her a bottle.

"Here Mother, give her to me. She usually prefers to breastfeed during the night. I hope she got some sleep at least. Jonathan, meet your new sister. This is Rose. Isn't she darling?" Angela held out the baby for him to admire. Jonathan's senses were overwhelmed by Rose's loud shrieks and wails. He looked at the screaming, auburn haired baby and wasn't sure what to do. He started reaching out for her but his mother pulled the baby back, protectively.

"Uh-uh. You and Sam just got over the stomach flu. You can't hold her for a couple more days at least. But you can admire her. Just don't get too close." Angela sat on the couch and started opening her blouse to nurse, a receiving blanket draped over her shoulder.

"Mom! Can you do that when I'm not in the room! " Jon was horrified.

"I'm going to use a blanket, and I'm very discreet. Jonathan, your sister needs to eat every couple of hours, so if you're uncomfortable with my nursing, you can leave the room." Angela shook her head. Men.

Samantha found it quite hilarious. She'd assisted in Angela's delivery and here Jonathan was freaking out about his mother breastfeeding discreetly under a blanket. "Jonathan, don't be such a dork. Do you have a boob-phobia?" It felt good to speak directly to him, even if she had to resort back to childhood teasing with him.

"Yeah, well just yell out 'boob alert' when you're going to do that." Jon grabbed his suitcase and headed to his room, glad that Sam was playing along now. They could fight and come up with colourful insults. It might even be fun, in jest. He stomped a bit and pretended to be annoyed, then hid behind the upper wall to observe the adults. He wanted to see if they suspected anything.

Tony and Angela looked at each other in relief. Things appeared to be normal between the kids. The look that passed between them wasn't lost on the kids. If their parents were relieved, then so were they.

"Oh Sam, I almost forgot," Mona announced. "While you were in California, Craig asked me to tell you that he wants to take you out to dinner."

Samantha looked at Mona in confusion. "Who, Mona?"

"Craig! Remember? From Angela's birthday party? You asked him to dance and he brushed you off because he thought you were too young. Now that he knows you're a college girl, he wants to take you out. He feels badly about insulting you. He's interested, Samantha." Mona was grinning. "Remember Sam, the best way to get over somebody is to get under somebody."

"Mother! No."

"Mona! That's my daughter you're talking to!"

Tony and Angela were horrified by Mona's advice and simultaneously chastised her.

"Sam, Mother's awful suggestions aside, Craig is a nice guy. He's my best and brightest new copywriter. He's got a real future in advertising. Hard worker and as you saw before, easy on the eyes. You might like him. Just don't get _under anybody_." Angela glared angrily at her mother.

"Dad?" Sam felt lost. She had no desire to go out with Craig. He was arrogant and rude and certainly aware of his good looks. But _rule number four_ came back to haunt her now. Her dad would probably tell her not to date Craig.

Tony surprised her, "If Angela says he's alright, then he's alright. Go ahead Sam. You don't really need my permission, you know?"

"But . . . but . . . but . . .", Sam was unsure.

Jon came back down the stairs then. "Couldn't help but overhearing as I was coming down. Sam, be glad a guy wants to go out with you. It's not going to work with Max, and Matt dumped you. Seems to me you'd be a bit desperate for a date by now." He hated being mean to her but he wanted the charade to hit full force. If_ he_ sent her on a date, then they'd be far above suspicion.

They were ganging up on her; everybody wanted her to date Craig. Fine, _rule number four_ it was. She gave Jonathan a dirty look in full view of the entire family. Satisfied that they'd noticed it, she said, "Fine, I'll go out with him, Mona. He's a real hunk. Can't wait."

That night, Tony and Angela were cuddled up in bed for a bit of pillow talk. Rose had finally settled down and the kids had gone to bed.

"Tony, I'm so happy and relieved that they're home safe and sound. I missed Jonathan very much." She snuggled closer to Tony, resting her head on his chest while he stroked her hair- her favourite position for bed talk.

"It looks like his time away did him a world of good. He's grown out of that silly crush and he's grown, period. Looks like he's been working out; I'm going to teach him how to box. I've always wanted to do that but he was kind of scrawny before." Tony couldn't wait to bond with his future step-son.

"Oh Tony, I can't wait for the wedding. Tomorrow, I'll take Samantha shopping for a bridesmaid dress. I'm so excited", she pressed a kiss on his muscular shoulder. "Ummm, Tony, I can't wait to be your wife. Mrs. Micelli", she punctuated that with a kiss on his neck. Then another and another until she was kissing him all over.

"Whoa, Angela. You haven't gotten the doctor's go-ahead yet. You're getting me all hot and bothered here. Oh boy . . . yeah right there baby . . . no stop! We have to stop or I won't be responsible for what I do to you."

Angela stopped kissing his stomach and moved back up to his lips. She was planning on visiting the doctor before their wedding night so that she could give him the wedding gift he deserved. She snuggled up with him, looking forward to their wedding. Tony wrapped his arms around her thinking of all the wonderful things in store for them.


	20. Chapter 20,The Wedding Chapter

**Chapter 20:**

**_Author's note_**_: Dear Reader, Please keep in mind that this is an __**Alternate Universe**__ and that the characters are not constricted by the physical appearances of the actors who played them on the show. As you can see, Jon has been transformed quite significantly—think of the actor in his post-show years but taller and larger with a dash of short-haired Chris Hemsworth thrown in for good measure. Suspend your disbelief and enjoy the story, er monster-fic. And now . . . the Wedding Chapter. _

The week preceding the wedding was one filled with frenetic and frenzied activity. Tony and Angela booked the caterer, the Justice of the Peace, the florist, went to get their marriage license and shopped for their wedding rings and outfits. Jonathan begged his mother to rent a piano and offered to play some music at the reception; he assured her that he was quite capable and wanted to dedicate a song to her and Tony. Surprised and curious, Angela bought a small upright, second hand piano for her son's musical interests. They found a place for it beside the little foyer desk. He was delighted when she showed it to him and started practising his scales almost immediately. He really had an affinity for the piano; he preferred it to the accordion and was glad that his skillset on the latter transferred easily to the former.

Tony and Angela also insisted that Sam and Jon get summer jobs and put money aside for their education. Since Rose's birth, Angela needed extra help at the Bower Agency and decided to put Sam on the payroll with an administrative job. It gave her an extra set of eyes to watch Mother too. Jonathan managed to get himself a lifeguard gig at the Fairfield Country Club. He had completed all of his lifesaving courses in California and was fully qualified now. Both Sam and Jon were scheduled to begin their new jobs right after the wedding; Jon was excited and Sam was apprehensive. That Craig guy worked at the Bower Agency and she'd promised to go out with him soon. Now he'd be her colleague too. There was simply no way to avoid him.

At home, Sam and Jon were flawlessly executing their_ rules_. They came up with interesting, loud insults for each other, avoided being in the same room together as much as humanly possible and never touched. It was brutal for both of them but they knew what was at stake.

Samantha dutifully went bridesmaid shopping with Angela and exclaimed happily when Angela chose a pink satin dress for her to wear. She would never have chosen such a fussy style but she smiled and pretended to love it. She didn't want a repeat of her prom experience. Jonathan went with Tony to rent their tuxes and enthusiastically helped him shop for Angela's wedding present.

Tony was also busy with school; his summer class began mere days before the wedding. He'd enrolled in _Studies of Ancient Greece_ and needed to attend three mornings per week. Taking part of his curriculum over the summer enabled him to lighten his workload during the Fall/Winter session and focus more on each class. His excellent grades reflected his dedication. On the day of his first class, he sat in the front row, as he usually did and absorbed as much as he could about Homer's_ Illiad_. He was completely engrossed in the lecture and didn't notice that Kathleen was sitting three rows behind him. When he stood up at the end of class, she was waiting for him in a microscopic skirt.

"Hi Tony. Isn't this a coincidence? You a fan of Ancient Greece too?" She sauntered over to him putting as much sway into her hips as she could.

"A coincidence? Is it, Kathleen?" Tony could see right through her ruse. She'd already shown up at his house, after all.

"Of course, Tony. How could I possibly know you were taking this class? I've always been interested in Greek Mythology; all those gods and goddesses. I find them sexy." Kathleen was feeling a bit desperate. Tony was onto her but she wasn't giving up just yet.

"Listen Kathleen, I can't tell you to drop this class but know this; I'm getting married this weekend and am completely committed to Angela." Tony walked out of the classroom without even giving her a backward glance. Angela was right; Kathleen was a Betty. He wasn't going to give her the time of day.

Kathleen watched him leave and fumed. He'd humiliated and rejected her just now. She did not need to be reminded about his love for Angela; that night at the country club had been bad enough. Shaking with rage, she walked out to her car and drove to her waitressing job at the Fairfield Country Club. She hated working there-at the place that Tony had referred to her as a mistake. _A mistake_!? No, he had just made a mistake with her now by dismissing her so harshly. Filled with an inexplicable dark rage, she only knew that she wanted to hurt him as badly as he'd hurt her.

**The Wedding Day**

_Author's note: if you want the full effect of romance during Tony & Angela's wedding, listen to Christina Perri's "A Thousand Years". It was running through my head while I wrote the scene. _

Angela awoke on her wedding day, ecstatic that her dream was about to come true-she was finally becoming Mrs. Micelli. She'd wanted this for such a long time; the years of longing and waiting and loving Tony secretly were over. She flipped over and saw that Tony's side of the bed was empty, he was no doubt starting the wedding preparations. The baby was quiet, so she luxuriated in her silky sheets and stretched out, rehearsing her vows in her head and fantasizing about the moment when they'd become husband and wife.

Downstairs, Tony was feeding Rose and trying to get breakfast started. He was awkwardly holding the baby and her bottle while attempting to get the coffee going. He was just about to drop the coffee maker on the floor when Jonathan entered the kitchen.

"Here Tony, let me hold Rose!" Jon quickly crossed the kitchen floor before Tony sent the coffee carafe crashing, and took his sister in a football hold. Rose kept drinking from her bottle, not caring that its provider had suddenly been switched on her. Jon peered into Rose's face; he hadn't held her much in the past week since coming home. Their mother was usually nursing her and Samantha did a lot of the diaper changes. Tony often got up with her during the night and the rest of the time, Rose was content in her little bouncy chair or asleep. It was kind of hard for a sixteen year old boy to bond with a creature who was essentially a sleeping, eating, screeching and pooping machine. But now, he studied her and inhaled her sweet baby scent. He admired the glint of sunlight in her reddish spiky hair and put a hand through its silkiness. This little thing was his sister? She looked right back up at him with intense dark eyes; their mother's eyes. And he felt something deep stir in his heart; a kinship, a protective love and a familial connection. He'd never been a brother before; this was brand new and given their age difference, he felt almost fatherly towards her. "I'll always protect you, Rose", he whispered to her as Samantha opened the door.

Watching Jon holding Rose moved Sam to near tears; his tenderness towards the baby gave her an inexplicable feeling of yearning. She stood in the doorway, unnoticed, observing. Jon was dressed only in shorts; a late-June heat wave had hit Connecticut full force. He held the delicate baby against his strong, tanned chest and kissed her little brow. Sam ached to touch him; to run her fingers down his arms as he held Rose. Their rule-playing was harsh and cold and she hated it. She missed him; they'd barely said two words to each other in an entire week and hadn't touched at all. She was fused to the ground, staring and pining for her boyfriend when Tony turned around and saw her standing there.

"Sam?" Tony called to her. The way his daughter was gazing at Jonathan made his stomach lurch.

Her father's voice brusquely woke her out of her trance and she looked up at him, temporarily dazed. "Yes?"

He studied her for a moment, watching the abrupt change in her expression, a neutral mask of indifference falsely settling over her features. But her eyes; she couldn't hide her eyes. Jon turned around to look at her; he beamed at her for an almost imperceptible moment, before the facade of apathy concealed his countenance. It rang untrue and phony; a complicit lie. And then the moment dissolved into nothingness; everything seemed normal again.

Tony stared at her, unsure if he'd actually witnessed something pass between the kids. He didn't want to falsely accuse them but had he, in an instant, glimpsed something secret? Now, he blinked and saw nothing. Had he imagined it?

"Dad, what?" Sam was waiting for him to speak, completely unaware that she'd betrayed herself for a second.

"Uh . . . what do you want for breakfast today? It's going to be a long day, so you need to eat properly." Tony didn't want to be worrying about covert glances between the kids on his wedding day. He was, however, constantly worried about Sam's lack of appetite.

"Not really hungry, Dad. Maybe just some toast. I can get it." She started putting bread in the toaster, ignoring Jon as much as she possibly could; watching him holding a baby against his bare chest was undoing her.

"No, Sam. You need protein!" Tony was adamant.

"Tony, I'm making my body-building protein shake. I'll let you have some, Sam." Jonathan pretended like he was doing her a real favour offering her the same exact shake he'd given her daily in California. He really wanted her to have the protein and nutrients today.

"Gross, that green guck you drink everyday? It looks disgusting", she retorted, pretending to hate it.

"That's spirulina and whey protein. I dare you to drink it, Sam. It puts hair on your chest. Or, in your case, maybe you'll actually grow a chest", he mocked her. Even though he was play acting, he'd gone too far. Samantha was sensitive about her weight loss and resulting smaller chest. She gave a little gasp of shock at his cruel words and looked at her Dad, pain evident in her eyes.

Oh crap, he hadn't meant to hurt her. The teasing was only for Tony's sake but the words were out there, real and hurtful, whether in jest or not.

Tony got angry; covert, imagined looks forgotten. "Hey Jonathan, don't you insult my daughter! What the heck was that? You can't make comments about her body, got it?!"

"Sam, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it . . . ,"he called out to her but she'd already bolted from the kitchen. She couldn't take it anymore; the stupid rules, the hiding, the lying and pretending. She felt guilty, angry and now, insulted too. Jon followed her into the living room with Rose in his arms but he accidentally dislodged her bottle and she started wailing.

"Sam?" She was standing beside the staircase, about to go upstairs when Jon approached her with the screaming baby.

"Go away, Jon. Leave me alone. I can't . . . I just can't!" She brushed him off when he tried to grasp her arm.

"No, Samantha, wait! I'm sorry, Boo. Please. Don't be mad like this", his voice cracked with a note of desperation. He didn't want them to break up over something so stupid. Her anger made him fearful.

Angela and Tony heard Rose's wails and simultaneously rushed to the staircase to see what was going on. They arrived to find the kids in a standoff. Samantha was livid. The past week of role playing had taken its toll and she was ready to call it quits, right here, right now.

"What's going on here?" Angela didn't like the look of this one bit. "Give me the baby." She scooped Rose out of Jonathan's arms and started gently bouncing her to calm her down.

"Are you two fighting on our wedding day? You're at it again?" Angela couldn't believe it; she thought the kids' recent indifference to each other signalled an end to their issues.

"_Your _son just insulted _my_ daughter. I don't like that, Angela!" Tony was still furious about the personal nature of Jonathan's insult.

"Look, I didn't mean it. Sam? Sam, I'm sorry for being a jerk", he looked at her full in the face for the first time in a week. He felt like crying; he didn't want to lose her now. Sam looked up at him; she could lose herself in those big golden eyes. Her lip trembled slightly when she saw his deep remorse and raw, honest expression.

"Both of ya, sit down now", Tony commanded them. They meekly obeyed him and sat where he pointed to on the couch.

"Now you're both going to listen to me and listen to me good. Today is my and Angela's wedding day; it's a big deal. You're not going to fight today, got it?! You're going to put aside whatever differences you have and you're going to be our maid of honor and best man. Understood?" The kids found Tony's demeanor a bit menacing so they simply nodded at him and avoided looking at each other. Tony took in their ashamed expressions, satisfied that they'd heard him. "You can go. And Jonathan, if you ever insult my daughter again, you'll be dealing with me." He waved them off, still feeling slightly incensed at Jonathan.

"Tony, did they have to fight _today_? They've been getting along all week; things have been so normal with them." No bride wanted to deal with family drama on her wedding day, and Angela was especially upset that her son had insulted Sam. She tried to pry Tony for details but he wasn't very forthcoming, not wanting her to become entangled in the kids' fight.

"It's okay Angela. Let them work it out without us breathing down their necks." Although he was trying to reassure Angela, Tony himself felt that something was amiss. He shook it off though, and concentrated on his bride instead. Today was their wedding day and no senseless teenaged fight was going to ruin that for them, he decided. He and Angela headed to the kitchen for their last breakfast as an unmarried couple. Tony poured her some juice and kissed her cheek.

"So, this is it, ay Angela? Today's the big day." He sat down beside her and took her hand in his. "Do you feel ready?" he asked her.

"Tony, I've never been more ready to do anything in my life. This wedding has been years in coming and as Mother would say, 'it's about damn well time'!" Angela scooted her chair right next to his and put her hand on his knee. "Tony, I have some news for you; we're not spending our wedding night at home-I booked us a room at _L'Auberge_". When he looked at her, eyebrows raised in pleased surprise, she moved her hand higher up his leg and gently squeezed his upper thigh. "Tony, tonight is going to be a real wedding night. The doctor cleared me. Surprise." Tony couldn't have been more stunned and excited.

"A real wedding night, Angela? I can't wait. Er, do we have to wait? I can just take you upstairs right now and . . ." he whispered all the naughty things he wanted to do to her, causing them both burst into a fit of giggles.

"Tony, if we do what you're suggesting right now, we'll be late to the wedding. Let's finish breakfast and then get ready. By the way, I've already spoken to Mother about taking care of Rose at her place overnight. I gave her the bassinet and I'll pump extra milk." Practicality ruled again.

"Okay Angela, I am going to make love to you like we've never done before", he informed her, "and give you a wedding night you won't ever forget." His eyes met hers, darkened with desire and love. She flushed, then became serious. "I love you Tony. And I can't wait to be your wife."

"I love you too, Angela" he said, before crushing his lips against hers.

After breakfast, Angela headed up to her room to get dressed for the wedding. She, Sam and Mother would be meeting Tony, Jonathan and Mrs. Rossini at City Hall.

Angela got ready slowly. Rose was napping so she could relax and enjoy this special moment of transforming herself into a bride. She removed her robe and looked at herself critically. While she certainly hadn't lost all of the baby weight in the month since Rose was born, her tummy had gone down significantly and was offset by her generous nursing cleavage. She didn't look too bad, she thought with a sly smile, imagining Tony's face when he would see her later today. She took her wedding dress out of its protective cover and admired it. It was champagne in colour; no bride wanted to wear virginal white the second time around. The dress itself was quite simple; short lace sleeves, V-neck and a classic lace overlay. It flared slightly, just below the knees, the perfect length for a hot June afternoon. Angela slipped into the gown and studied its effect in the full length mirror. Perfect. Her tummy wasn't bad at all; she only had an extra ten pounds on her, giving her a curvier figure than usual, so she wasn't complaining. She twirled around a second time and felt a bit giddy; she was a bride again, finally marrying Tony after so many years.

She didn't want a stiff hairstyle so she kept it loose and naturally wavy. No veil either; that would be too fussy for today. She'd already applied her regular makeup, noting with relief that the pregnancy mask was completely gone now and her face looked more rested. She fairly glowed with joy at becoming Tony's wife, her happiness producing a beauty more authentic and natural than any cosmetic ever could. With the hot weather, the last thing she wanted was melting makeup. She fastened her pearl necklace as a final step and went in search of her bridesmaid.

"Samantha, are you ready yet?"

She knocked at Sam's door and found the girl slumped on her bed, still wearing a robe. "Sam? Why aren't you dressed?"

Sam turned around and whistled sharply at Angela, "Wow, Angela, you look amazing!" she exclaimed with a wide smile. "Dad is going to fall over when he sees you!"

"Thanks Honey, but you need to get yourself ready too. Come on. Where's your dress? I'll help you."

Sam pulled the frilly pink satin dress out of her closet and pursed her lips. Angela had chosen it but she really didn't like it. It was shiny, fancy and frankly looked like a big, pink doily. Her facial expression wasn't lost on Angela. "You don't like it, do you? It's okay, be honest, Sam. I don't want you wearing something you hate."

"Yeah, Angela. I do kind of hate it. I'm sorry. It's so . . . pink!" Sam looked up at Angela and blushed, embarrassed to be criticizing her bridesmaid dress on the day of the wedding.

"It's alright. Let's see what else you've got that would work." Angela started going through Sam's closet, choosing, discarding, searching and comparing clothes until she found a dress she thought would work. "Sam, how about this?" she asked as she pulled out a pale yellow gown with delicate spaghetti straps. "This is so sheer and ethereal. I love it, Sam. What was the occasion for this dress? I can't recall."

"A wedding, Angela-dad's cousin Gina's wedding. I wore it when I was fifteen, so it ought to fit, at least." Samantha fingered the dress's diaphanous material, remembering how beautiful she'd felt when she'd worn that dress almost four years ago.

"It's perfect and elegant. Come on, I'll help you zip up." Angela helped Sam get ready with her dress, hair and makeup, then stood back to study the result. "You look beautiful, Sweetheart. I'm so glad you're standing up for me today. It means everything", she started gushing before pulling Sam into a tight hug. Samantha hugged Angela back, her conscience troubling her. Here she was lying to Angela on a daily basis since her return from California. A big, fat lie of omission. One that would certainly send Angela spiralling into shock if she ever found out. She gave Angela a distracted smile and headed out of the room.

Tony and Jonathan were already at City Hall, pacing in the judge's chambers, waiting for the women to arrive.

"Nervous, Tony?" Jon asked him. Tony couldn't sit still; he was constantly peering out the door to see if the bride had arrived.

"Me, nervous? No way; I'm cool as a cucumber", he lied while discreetly wiping his sweaty palms on his dress pants.

"Yeah right", Jon chuckled. "It's going to be fine, Tony. You and my mom belong together. I'm really happy for you guys", he paused for a moment, then added, "and I'm sorry for getting into it with Sam this morning. I was just kidding around with her but went too far. Sorry Tony."

Tony looked at Jonathan, noting that he was truly contrite. "It's okay Pal-o-mine. You apologized to her already and, well hey, I'd rather you tease her than have a crush on her. So, let's not worry about it anymore. It's forgotten." Tony clapped the teenager on the back. "Now, where are those women?!" In response to his question, Mrs. Rossini arrived, fairly pouncing on Tony with maternal affection.

"Well look at you, Tony! Finally gettin' married again after such a long time", she squealed, before grabbing his cheeks and squeezing them. "You're lookin' so handsome!" She turned to Jon, gaped a bit at his radically changed appearance, "You grew kid. Wow, what a hunk", then pinched his cheeks as well. Tony and Jon looked at each other with sympathy, their cheeks sore and reddened by Mrs. R's affections. They couldn't wait for the rest of the bridal party to arrive.

The women- Angela, Mona, Samantha and baby Rose were on their way to City Hall. They'd had a little tussle about who would drive. Samantha offered to drive, reasoning that a bride shouldn't drive herself on her wedding day. Angela found it hard to relinquish control of her Jaguar to a teenaged girl, so while holding the keys too tightly, she gave Sam a long and unnecessary lecture about driving safety before finally allowing Sam to pry the now damp keys out of her tightly balled fist. If Angela was this protective of her car, how much more she must be of her only son, Sam wondered, cringing inwardly.

After driving like a veritable slowpoke, heeding the nervous bride's constant requests to brake and be more careful, Samantha finally pulled the Jaguar into the City Hall parking lot. That drive had made her more nervous than being an actual bridesmaid. Next time, Angela could drive herself-she was the worst backseat driver that Sam had ever had the misery of chauffeuring anywhere.

"Well Ladies, this is it!" Mona announced. She carefully lifted Rose's car seat out of the car, making sure not to wake her up. They'd somehow managed to dress and transfer Rose out of her crib and into the car seat with a minimum of fuss. The baby was adorable, wearing the sweetest little pink taffeta gown and a flower headband in her auburn hair. Especially adorable because she was asleep and quiet, thought Sam. She hoped that Rose wouldn't start howling or need to nurse halfway through the wedding ceremony. She helped Mona by grabbing Rose's diaper bag and ensuring that a bottle had been packed. They wouldn't let Angela handle the baby in her wedding gown; it was bound to be covered in spit up otherwise.

"Come on, let's do this", Angela said under her breath then followed her mother and surrogate daughter into City Hall.

Mona made Angela wait in the hallway as she and Samantha entered the judge's chambers. Tony and Jonathan turned expectantly when they heard the door open.

"Where's Mom?" Jon asked, while staring at Sam, completely besotted. He wanted to tell her how stunning she looked but had to play it cool. He remembered that yellow dress from a few years ago before his crush had even started. How different she looked to him today; stylish bob and dark eyeliner combined to give her a look both retro and chic, yet her gown was feminine, ethereal and timeless. He simply gazed at her while Mona looked on, silently taking note of her grandson's love-struck expression.

"Samantha, you look beautiful", Tony fawned over his daughter. But he was also distracted, looking for his bride and completely missed Jon's smitten stare.

Mona settled Rose's car seat on the ground and asked when the judge was arriving.

"He just stepped out, Mona. Where's Angela?" Tony was getting anxious.

"Relax, will you? She's in the hallway. I'll bring her in when the judge arrives", Mona blocked Tony from getting a glimpse of his bride through the partly open door.

Finally Judge Anderson arrived and with very little fanfare, organized the bridal party to readiness. "Where's the bride?" he asked impatiently. The judge was an elderly man, partially deaf and bored with weddings. He'd performed too many of them over the years and right now, was annoyed to be missing his golf game. He hoped to rush through the vows and join his friends on the fairway.

"I'm going to get Angela now", Mona announced. Tony stood waiting for his bride, Jon beside him. Sam stood across from him, next to where the bride would be. Mrs. R was off to the side, beside Rose. Everybody looked at the door expectantly.

In the hallway, Angela was taking deep gulps of breath, steadying her nerves. This moment; it all came down to this moment, after so many years of longing and loving and patiently waiting. Patience—she'd had plenty during all those long years but no more. She wanted to marry Tony now. Five minutes of waiting felt like an eternity, so when her mother finally came to get her, Angela practically buckled with relief, almost dropping her bouquet of pink roses. She just wanted Tony. She could see nothing else at the moment and blindly followed her mother into the judge's chambers.

Tony watched Angela appear through the door, her face effused with love and anticipation. Her bridal splendour took his breath away; she was dreamy finery at its best. He held her gaze with his warm, brown eyes and she fairly melted. Her own eyes glistened with tears of joy as he beckoned her to him in unspoken sublimification; their personal love song, perfected over the years. Secret love and longing translated into looks, gestures and furtive signals.

Tony's heart beat fast; his life mate was joining him forever. Angela was weightless and breathless as she stepped over the last threshold and took his waiting hand.

Judge Anderson felt the energy in the room shift; he'd never experienced such palpable passion in his chambers before. He raised a hairy eyebrow in surprise, cleared his throat with a loud 'ahem' and commenced the ceremony, aware that this couple was special and different. Golf temporarily forgotten, he led Tony and Angela through the usual preamble, then let them speak their own vows.

The bride and groom saw only each other as they promised their love and eternal devotion to each other speaking vows aloud, yet lost in the moment, hands clasped tightly, eyes fused. The words mere echoes of their heart oaths but nevertheless, out they came for the witnesses to hear- _companion for life . . . lover . . . honour, hold, cherish . . . through sorrow and sickness . . . true loyal friend . . . grow old together . . . forever, forever, forever . . . 'till death do us part. _The bride and groom exchanged rings as a symbol of their everlasting love and gazed at each other in simple adoration.

There wasn't a dry eye in Judge Anderson's chambers, including those of the judge himself. He cleared his throat again and declared the couple man and wife. He'd just witnessed the merging of two souls and the effect was dizzying. Sam and Jon looked up at each other, their faces displaying a mixture of elation and sorrow. They had no words at a moment like this, having witnessed their parents' love so profoundly. Sam shifted her gaze away from him and concentrated on the newlyweds.

Tony kissed his new wife with all the passion he felt. She clung to him, drowning in his kiss, heedless of their onlookers. When he finally let her up for air, he smiled at her and exclaimed, "We did it, Mrs. Micelli!" She laughed and took his hand as they exited the judge's chambers, ready to begin their new life together.


	21. Chapter 21, The Reception

**Chapter 21**

The brand new Mr. and Mrs. Micelli practically skipped out of the judge's chambers, leaving their guests gaping after them.

"Yo Dad! Angela!" Sam called out to them. Where were they going? She started running after them to congratulate them, Mona at her heels.

Tony and Angela turned around, reminded that they weren't in fact the only two people in existence.

"Congratulations you two! Come 'ere and give me a big hug!" Mrs. Rossini's stout form sprinted past Sam and Mona and gripped the bride and groom in a tight squeeze. "Where do you two think you're going? I've got food; lots of food, on ice, in the van. We're gonna do this right, like good Italians, even though you married a WASP. I've got Italian wedding soup, lasagna, bruschetta . . ." Mrs. Rossini continued her diatribe of menu items while the bride and groom extricated themselves from her painfully crushing hugs.

"Some of us would like a turn too", Mona shoved Mrs. R out of the way so that she and the kids could hug the newlyweds. Mrs. Rossini gave her a dirty look but she didn't care. "I'm so happy for you two! It's about time. Don't mess this one up, Angela." Mona gave her daughter a stern look but couldn't keep a straight face.

"Thank you for your vote of confidence, Mother. But I can't mess this one up—I've finally found my soul mate", she turned away from Mona to kiss her new husband. Tony and Angela seemed to forget that they weren't alone and started kissing a little too deeply, making their guests somewhat uncomfortable.

"Ack, enough with the kissing. At this rate, we'll never make it back for the reception." Mona teased them. "Get a room already", she muttered under her breath.

"We have one, for afterwards at _L'Auberge_", Tony drawled the French word seductively, while giving Angela an affectionate pat on the derriere.

"You guys are going away tonight?" This was news to Jon. At the sudden realization that he was finally going to be alone with Sam, he couldn't suppress the grin that spread unwittingly over his recently sombre features.

Sam herself was surprised, "Uh, does that mean we'll be alone with Rose? You want us to babysit all night?"

"I'm taking Rose to my place for the night," Mona stated, while carefully observing her grandson. Clearly his crush on Sam wasn't over by a long shot. How had that blatant fact escaped her notice for an entire week since his return? Were her powers of observation declining with age? If anything, Jonathan's feelings appeared more intense and serious. The kid had been hiding it well; she was impressed by his underhandedness.

Mona wondered how the week in California had gone for the kids under the circumstances, and if Sam was even aware of Jonathan's romantic feelings towards her. Samantha. Mona turned to look at her- to study her-could Sam be as deceptive as Jonathan? A multitude of possibilities of what may have transpired in California swirled in Mona's mind. As a woman with a lot of life experience who had had more than her fair share of lovers, she was usually so tuned in to the secrets and lies people kept about their love lives. It certainly hadn't been lost on her that Tony and Angela had been in love for years. But the kids? It hadn't occurred to her, not even once. And yet here they were, both of them absolutely gorgeous. While Samantha had always been stunning, Jonathan had gone through an awkward teen phase like his mother before him. But now, he was definitely over it, especially since his time in California. She looked on proudly at her grandson, sure that he could turn any girl's head. But had he turned Sam's head? There was a three year age gap between them-not that three years meant anything to Mona. Heck, she'd been with men who were thirty years younger. While Mona speculated about the two teenagers, the wedding party was heading back to the house, where the photographer, caterer and Mrs. R's food were all waiting.

**The Reception**

Mrs. Rossini and the kids drove up ahead in her van full of Italian food _on ice_, so they could begin setting up quickly before the bride and groom made it back to the house. Tony and Angela drove the Jag home with baby Rose, leaving Mona to drive Tony's Jeep back to the house by herself.

"Tony, can you believe that Rose slept through the entire ceremony? How lucky was that?" Angela was delighted, despite the uncomfortable fullness in her breasts. She needed to nurse or pump rather urgently.

"That's lucky, Angela. But not as lucky as I am to have you. I can't believe we did it. Angela, we're married. Married!" He exclaimed ecstatically.

"I know! Married, wow. Tony, I've felt married to you for a long time but now it's real and nobody can take it away from us. I'm so happy, I just want to . . ." she paused, unsure what she wanted to do.

"Burst into song?" he offered.

"Maybe" she giggled. "Burst into song, dance, do a little jig? But first, photos and food. One of my agency's photographers is able to come by for an hour or so to take professional quality pictures. He couldn't come to the ceremony but he'll meet us at the house shortly."

"And there's going to be a lot of food, Angela. We shouldn't have bothered with a caterer; Mrs. Rossini cooked up a storm. I only asked her for a couple of Italian appetizers but she went way overboard."

"Are you surprised? Now here's hoping that she and Mother get along today. And speaking of 'getting along', the kids seem to be doing alright again. Whatever that fight was this morning, they got over it." Angela was happy.

Tony pulled the Jag into the driveway and got Rose's car seat out; the baby was starting to stir. He saw Angela heading for the front door and stopped her. "Stop! I have to carry you over the threshold! You're my new bride. Wait here and I'll bring Rose in first, then come back and get _you_", he grinned.

Angela waited on the door stoop while Tony opened the door and deposited the now awake and fussing Rose into the foyer. Samantha, Jonathan and Mrs. R were all in the living room, setting up hors d'oeuvres on the coffee table while waiting for the newlyweds to appear. Sam picked Rose up, out of her car seat and called over the photographer to quickly take a picture of the groom carrying his bride over the threshold.

The shot was sublime; Angela was laughing, head thrown back, eyes alight with joy while Tony looked down lovingly at her in his arms. He was carrying her effortlessly- the picture snapped just as his left foot stepped over the threshold. That photo would end up being their favourite one, enlarged and framed, hanging over their bed. Unaware that they'd just created a Kodak moment, Tony gently set his new wife on the floor. The photographer got another shot of them as they stood glued to each other, oblivious to the world around them.

Mona pulled the Jeep into the driveway behind the Jag, arriving just in time to have her photo taken. This candid shot did not end up being her favourite, however. The photographer wanted to capture fluid moments in time and kept snapping his camera, aiming it here and there, until Angela told him "Enough!" She asked him to stop so that she could nurse Rose, who had begun her plaintive, hungry 'nyaaa nyaaaaa nyaaaaa' wailing. Angela excused herself and took Rose upstairs to feed and change her. The photographer looked around, dejected. The bride had just deserted him; he sat on the couch looking a bit lost and shoved a canapé into his mouth.

Mona looked at the photographer, a plan hatching in her mind. Speculation and doubt had crept into her thoughts; she wanted to know if the kids were playing at something. "Hey Bub", she addressed the photographer, "while the bride is busy, why don't you take pictures of the bridal party?" Mona called the kids over to her and put an arm around each one, squeezing them tightly against her. They weren't going to get away with deceiving her. Mona had a reputation to uphold; nobody pulled the wool over her eyes.

"Just look at these adorable kids; our maid of honour and best man. Take a few good poses of them, will you; their parents will be thrilled!" and thus began Mona's 'torture' of Sam and Jon.

The photographer was happy to have something to do and was quite captivated by his subjects—they both looked like professional models. He took them outside and had them pose beside the massive oak tree, next to Tony's herb garden, on the porch swing and in front of the house. Mona followed closely, watching and observing. Sam and Jon were avoiding looking at each other at all cost—how could she not have seen that before? They were loath to touch and merely obeyed the photographer's directives, while looking like they wanted to be anywhere but there.

"Hey Bub, have the best man put his arm around the maid of honor. Yes, like that but closer. Jonathan, hold Samantha against you. Perfect." Snap.

Mona started giving the directions—she knew what she was doing and how best to trap the kids. "How about a picture of Jonathan carrying Samantha in the air?" Jon swallowed hard; what was his grandmother up to? He shot her a steely stare, but she just looked back at him, innocently. He scooped Sam into his arms and easily lifted her up like Tony had done with Angela over the threshold. Only this picture was different. The maid of honor blushed while the camera caught a fleeting flash of the emotion in her eyes when they connected with those of the best man. Mona smiled; she'd caught them for sure now. She shook her head wondering how she'd missed this little drama being played out right under her nose. Satisfied for the moment, Mona headed back into the house but the photographer wanted more pictures of the good looking pair.

Without Mona's watchful surveillance, Jon and Sam relaxed and posed naturally, giving the photographer gorgeous shots of them together. Sam's delicate yellow gown billowed around her legs giving her an ethereal look, while Jon looked handsome and classic in his tux. The weather was hot so he'd thrown off his jacket and bowtie and was posing in his shirt now. The photographer was impressed; these two kids could really take direction. He'd been working freelance for years and more specifically for The Bower Agency in the last year. He was a consummate professional, shooting ads for cars, food, soap and underwear. These kids had him very intrigued; they were both naturals. He'd make a point of examining his proofs later; maybe he could use them as models in upcoming ads.

The kids were lost in the photography, finally happy to have an opportunity to touch each other without any family members looking on. They had to obey the photographer, after all. His arm around her waist for one picture, leaning up together against a tree for another . . . they were having fun and Sam began to giggle. Jon smiled down at her, admiring how lovely she looked in that pale yellow dress, dark hair swinging between shots, her smile wide and generous.

"You look amazing today", he told her. "I've missed you."

"Shhhhh", Sam whispered back to him. "He'll hear us, but you look pretty hot yourself." She couldn't help but admire him in his tux, looking so much more mature. He'd shorn his hair again; the blond stubble barely long enough for her to run her fingers through it. But she liked that look on him; it gave him a bit of an edge.

"Sam", he whispered between shots, "we're going to be alone tonight."

She stared at him, his words hanging suggestively in the air when the photographer captured his best shot yet. Jon was looking down at Sam mischievously, a huge grin on his face. Her eyes were beaming and she had the coy look of a girl with a secret. Perfect shot, snap.

The rest of the bridal party joined them outside to finish the photos. "What's up, you two?" Tony asked innocently. He wanted to know how the pictures were coming along.

"Nothing!" Samantha and Jonathan replied a little too quickly.

"Okay then", Tony straightened his bowtie while Angela fussed with Rose's dress, "mind if we join you two for some pictures? We need a few family shots."

Sam and Jon pulled away from each other and started posing with the bride and groom. The photographer took pictures of everybody together, then of the newlyweds by themselves. In some photos, Tony and Angela held Rose between them. She'd been fed and changed and was happily cooing and gurgling; the photographer knew how to get her attention as he'd worked with babies before. He captured brilliant family moments and within half an hour had enough to create a treasured wedding album.

After the photographer left, Mrs. Rossini led the family to her food. The caterer had brought some wonderful fare as well, but Mrs. R hid the caterer's food in the kitchen and brought hers out into the living room, buffet style. "Eat everybody, eat, eat . . . it's a wedding!"

Mona uncorked a bottle of champagne, toasted the newlyweds and passed it around, even allowing Sam and Jon to have a taste to mark the special occasion. They ate, drank and laughed, celebrating as they should.

Then Samantha announced that it was time for the bride and groom's first dance. Jonathan shoved the coffee table out of the way, to make some room for dancing. Sam had the perfect CD picked out, and had pre-selected the most appropriate song for Tony and Angela; Etta James' **_At Last_**. As Etta's powerful, sensuous voice filled the air, Tony twirled his new bride around the living room. Their dancing was fluid, they moved as one and always had—a foretaste to their fabulous lovemaking later on. Tony held Angela against him; her body moulded against his as they swayed to the music. The others looked on, moved by the sight of them so in love.

"Jonathan, why don't you ask Samantha to dance?" Mona wasn't finished tormenting the youths. Not yet. Not by a long shot.

Jonathan obliged his grandmother and held his hand out to Samantha. She flushed slightly as he took her hand in his and led her to the makeshift dance floor. They danced awkwardly, too far apart as if afraid to accidentally touch. Mona wanted to laugh at their obvious ruse but kept her chuckle in check. "That's the most pathetic dancing I've ever seen", she told them. "Can't you learn from our newlyweds? Just look at them dance! Jonathan you need to hold Sam more tightly and closer and you need to move together. Are you even leading?" She admonished her grandson, enjoying his annoyed scowl. Mona decided to up the ante; she put some Frank Sinatra on when Etta James had finished her song. The most romantic crooner, of course.

Tony was delighted; he spun Angela around, then held her closely. She melted into him, settling her head in the crook of his neck. "Tony, ummm, you smell so good", she breathed into his ear. "I can't wait to get you to_ L'Auberge_." She moved her arms down his back and kissed his neck; her favourite spot to kiss. She wanted to kiss his throat too but the family was there so she stopped at one kiss, desperately wanting to tear his tuxedo off of him here and now. Feeling his strong arms wrapped around her as they danced was turning her on. Being Mrs. Micelli was turning her on. Knowing that she had the go-ahead for making love to him later was really turning her on. Weeks of celibacy were coming to a head-Angela was starting to come undone in her living room. How she had managed to not pounce on this man for seven years was a complete mystery even to her-she'd been deeply attracted to him right from the start. Obviously, she had had a super human power of restraint, but it was gone now. She ran her fingers through his hair and kissed his cheek.

"Angela, are you alright? You've very flushed dear", Mrs. Rossini observed loudly, ruining the romantic moment.

"I . . . I'm fine Mrs. Rossini", Angela was ready to kick her. "It's a bit warm in here, don't you think?" She looked up at Tony and mouthed 'I want you' to him. Tony gazed at his new wife with yearning—he couldn't wait to get her to _L'Auberge_. He wondered how soon they'd be able to make their escape.

"Here Mom, why don't you take a break from dancing?" Jonathan practically pushed Samantha off of him, relieved to stop dancing under his grandmother's watchful eye. "Mom, I have a song for you and Tony!" he announced proudly. "I've been practising it all week."

Jon walked over to the little upright piano and sat down, his face very serious. He played a few chords on the piano and ran his fingers over the keys. When everybody was gathered around, he spoke. "I'd like to dedicate this song to Mom and Tony. It's been a long time in coming, you guys. Remember when I set you up on a Valentine's Date when I was barely nine? Even back then, I knew you two were right for each other. We all knew! Here's to the bride and groom, for getting together after so many years. You guys didn't fool anybody; we always knew you were in love. Congratulations on finally making it to the altar!"

Jon was still surprised that he was so easily able to play the piano and that his voice was strong. He'd noticed it in the car one day when he'd been riding with Runa, of all people. She'd cranked up the radio to Billy Joel's _Piano Man_ and he'd sung along, then wondered who the hell just sang that. His own voice had startled him. Runa had turned to him, surprised. "Ja can sing, Jon?" And damn, could he sing. Where did that even come from? He didn't know and didn't much care but he'd certainly enjoyed impressing Rachel and singing for her. And now, he wanted to offer a song as a gift to the newlyweds. He started singing Elton John's _Your Song_ to them, expertly moving his hands over the piano keys.

_It's a little bit funny_

_This feeling inside,_

_I'm not one of those who can easily hide . . _. (Mona rolled her eyes at Jonathan)

_I don't have much money,_

_Boy if I did,_

_I'd buy a big house where we both could live _(Jon snuck a quick look at Sam)

Jon continued his song, keeping his eyes on the piano. Tony put his arm around Angela, stunned and moved by this beautiful song and impressed by Jon's ability to play and sing it to them. Angela was rendered speechless, tears in her eyes. Her son was serenading them; she wanted to crush him against her but that would have to wait until the song was over.

Samantha looked at Jon, immeasurably stirred by the song. Unconsciously, she moved towards him as though a magnetic force was propelling her. She sat down on the piano bench beside him; he looked at her, bewildered. Samantha loved this song and knew it well; she couldn't help but join in. Her voice sweet and melodious mingled with his deeper one and they finished the song together.

"Bravo! Bravo!" Angela clapped and went to hug the kids. "That was so wonderful! Thank you!" she gushed and praised while kissing them both.

"That was great!" Tony went to hug the kids too. "Listen to that, Angela. Our kids make beautiful music together."

"You have no idea," Mona deadpanned, before continuing, "who knew that my grandson could sing? I wonder where he gets that from. Certainly not from his own mother", Mona declared.

"Thank you Mother. Once again. And by the way, I can so sing!" Angela defended herself.

"Yeah Mone, remember, she sang with the_ Dreamtones_?" Tony reminded her. "In fact, we're quite the musical family, cello aside. Sam can hold a tune with her pretty voice and Jon well Jon . . . what the hell happened to you in California, kid?" Tony was still amazed.

Jonathan blushed and shrugged his shoulders. He wasn't sure himself but was glad that the transformation he'd been going through had made Samantha take notice of him. That's all he cared about. Without thinking, he squeezed her hand tightly. Mona rolled her eyes again. Who did those two think they were kidding? And yet, Tony and Angela having eyes only for each other, were completely oblivious to Romeo and Juliet sitting at the piano.

Tony was getting antsy to leave. "Well guys, this was great. It was wonderful. Thank you for the terrific food and the music. We're so happy you could all share in our special day. But, uh . . . Angela and I have reservations at _L'Auberge."_ He practically giggled at the word.

"But Dad, we haven't given you our present yet!" Sam could see how badly her dad wanted to be alone with Angela but she wanted to honour them too.

"Present? You guys got us a present? Awwww, Angela, they got us a present", Tony enthused.

"Yes, it's from me and the kids", Mona told them. "I'll go get it."

Mona quickly hopped over to her apartment and returned with the present, wobbling under the weight of an enormous gift basket. She set it down on the couch, almost dropping it in the process. It was heavy.

"What's this?" Angela was curious and started undoing the ribbons and cellophane.

"Oh my!" Angela exclaimed. She pulled out some champagne, sensual body massage oil, chocolate body paint, and a feather, then stopped. "A feather? Mother, did you say this is from you _and the kids_?"

Mona nodded, "The kids bought you the G-rated stuff. The rest is from me. We wanted to create a gift basket for your wedding night. Go on, there's more."

"I'm a bit scared to open it in front of . . ." Angela nodded her head towards the children.

"Oh don't be. I'm sure they can handle it, can't you kids?" Mona teased them. "You two aren't that innocent."

Jon and Sam looked at each other and squirmed slightly.

Angela kept pulling items out of the R-rated gift basket; a fully illustrated _Kama Sutra_ made her gasp and blush. She tried to hide the book but Samantha had already seen and was peering at it curiously. Angela put the book down and reached into the basket again, her face tense. Tony was smiling; he was having way too much fun watching his new bride react to the basket items. Lingerie. A gorgeous black lace teddy was wound around His and Her mugs. Matching His and Her towels embroidered with their wedding date were also inside the basket.

"The mugs and towels are from Jon and me", Sam announced. "And the keepsake box too. It's on the bottom, under the chocolates. Uh, those chocolates look strange… they're shaped like . . .oh! Those are from Mona, obviously." Sam gulped, embarrassed by the indecent candy.

"Yes well, how thoughtful", Angela stared at her gifts, still a bit dazed. "Kids, thank you for your presents too. I'd offer you a chocolate but I don't want to scar you for life." Angela shook her head while Tony laughed loudly.

"Mona, we can always count on you. You don't disappoint." He was still chuckling over Angela's shocked face. "So, Angela what do you say? Time to go? Do you need to feed Rose one more time? Make more bottles?" He was in a hurry to leave.

"Cake! You haven't had cake yet", Mrs. R reminded them. "I made you tiramisu!"

Angela didn't want cake. Neither did Tony. They only wanted each other but of course as the bride and groom, they had to have cake. They sat on the couch as Mrs. Rossini brought out her tiramisu and camera. "Okay you two, cut the cake." Tony obliged her, cutting into the soggy, very dense tiramisu, careful not to get cocoa powder on his rented tux. He served some up for everybody while Mona came around with champagne again. Mrs. R snapped a few photos of her cake being cut and eaten, the bride and groom rushing through dessert.

"Wow, this is delicious Mrs. R! Put much booze in here?" Tony could feel the alcohol burning his throat.

"Only half a bottle of rum", she admitted. "I put extra Mascarpone and lady fingers to set it off. It needed to be big."

"Half a bottle?" Samantha was fairly choking on her dessert. No wonder. The smooth Mascarpone custard was barely counteracting the effects of so much rum.

Tony went to grab the desserts out of the kids' hands but they greedily held on to them and wolfed down the boozy treat. Sam was feeling a bit lightheaded but didn't care. She snatched some champagne to wash down the sweet dessert.

"Whoa Samantha! Take it easy. No more champagne or rum-soaked tiramisu for you!" Tony admonished her.

"But Dad, it's so yummy", she sniggered, fairly tipsy now.

Tony shook his head at her but was eager to leave. He abruptly thanked Mrs. Rossini for her wonderfully unique dessert and waited impatiently while Angela went to pump some extra milk for Rose.

"So, Mona, remember, if you run out of breast milk, Angela bought some formula. It's on the kitchen counter if you need it. Rose will probably go down at around seven tonight and wake up again at one in the morning. She'll need a bottle and a diaper change. Then she should go back down until about seven. If you have any problems with her, call us. Although, I really hope you don't have to call us. Oh, and Mona, don't forget to burp her after each bottle. If she doesn't burp, she'll spit up. Got it?" Tony hugged Rose and kissed her affectionately.

"Daddy's going to miss his Rosie; yes I am. Will Rosie be good for grandma? Yes, yes she will. I love you little cutie-pie", Tony spoke to Rose in high pitched sing song. The baby looked up at him, her dark eyes filled with delight. She responded with happy vocalizations and joyfully waved her tiny balled fists in the air. Angela came back down then and put the extra milk in the fridge. Tony handed her the baby for a final farewell.

"Bye Sweetie. I'm going to miss you but it's only for one night. Ooooh, you are so adorable", Angela hugged Rose and smothered her with kisses. Rose cooed happily. Angela felt a bit guilty about leaving Rose overnight but she and Tony needed this. They needed to reconnect and celebrate their wedding. She wiped away a few tears, clung to Rose a bit too tightly and reluctantly placed the baby in Mona's arms.

"Mother, you need to burp her after each bottle and there's formula . . ."Mona cut her off. "Yes, I know. Tony already told me everything. Don't worry, I can take care of my granddaughter for one night. I did raise you, you know? Now get out of here, you two. Rose is fine. You two need only concentrate on each other." Mona winked and then nudged them.

"Alright, well, let's go then. Tony?" Angela held her hand out to him. They said their farewells to the older kids and took off, eager to enjoy their wedding night together.

After the newlyweds had left, Mrs. Rossini and the kids cleaned up as best they could, storing much of the food in the basement fridge. Mona packaged some for herself to take back to her apartment. It was getting late and Rose was fussing, so Mona decided to bring Rose home and told the kids goodnight. "I'll see you two tomorrow morning", she told them. "Be good. No more champagne or tiramisu for either of you, got it?" Sam and Jon nodded at her.

They were finally alone. Completely alone. Mrs. Rossini had left about half an hour earlier, complaining about how much leftover food there was.

The kids headed into the living room. "We're alone. Finally." Jon couldn't wait; he pulled Samantha into a bear hug, held her tightly for a few minutes then pulled back to look at her and grinned.

"Champagne?" she asked him.

"Sure, why not. And some tiramisu too", he chuckled. They sat on the couch, their glasses filled. Jon shoved items from the gift basket aside to make room. "Oh good, Mom took her new nightie and the massage oil", he laughed. Then he felt something hard under his leg. "What this?" he asked as he pulled a book out from between the seat cushions.

Samantha giggled and took another swig of champagne. "It's the _Kama Sutra_. Sexual positions; an ancient love guide." She grabbed the book away from him and started flipping it open, staring at the drawings in disbelief.

"Holy crap, is that even possible?" Jon stared at the images, shocked and intrigued.

"I don't know. Never tried that or that or that . . ." Samantha turned the book around trying to make sense of what she was seeing. "But this one looks interesting" she snickered.

She felt Jon's gaze upon her and looked up at him. He was staring at her rather hungrily. She eagerly threw her arms around him and began to kiss him, the book staring up at them. They pulled apart, and shoved everything else off of the couch, making themselves comfortable.

"Sam, I know I'm not in college yet, but I did start my applications. Does that count for anything?" He started nuzzling her neck as she lay down beneath him.

"College?" Sam's brain was too distracted by his hot kisses on her collarbone to know what he was talking about.

"You said we had to wait until I'm in college", he reminded her, moving his mouth to her shoulders and pushing her dress straps downwards.

"Did I say that?" she breathed heavily, helping him push the dress down further. "Boob alert", she giggled, still quite tipsy.

"Oh my god. Samantha . . ." he stared at her, mesmerized.

So lost were they in each other that they didn't hear Mona enter from the kitchen. She wasn't terribly surprised by the sight before her. Well, maybe by how quickly they'd moved and Sam's state of semi-dress. Her grandson was obviously a chip off the old block. Mona thought she'd returned soon enough after pretending to go back to her place. She wanted to catch them, after all. Put a stop to this nonsense. She cleared her throat loudly and made her presence known to them.

Sam and Jon jumped up when they heard her. Stunned, Jon quickly helped Sam cover up and glared at his grandmother. Sam turned her head away, ashamed.

"You know, Samantha", Mona began, "when I told you that the best way to get over someone is to get under someone, I wasn't referring to my grandson. You two are sooo busted."

**_Author's note: Tony and Angela's wedding night at L'Auberge is coming up in the M-section. Look for it in about a week or so. _**

**_Oh and please review, as always. Thanks!_**


	22. Chapter 22, See M Section

Chapter 22 is located in the M section. If you are unsure how to access this chapter, simply click on my username "stayathomemum" and everything will appear there.

This chapter is Tony and Angela's wedding night at L'Auberge. Rated M for Mature.


	23. Chapter 23, Mona Knows Best

**Chapter 23**

"Grandma!" Jon was horrified by his grandmother's ill-timed, surprise appearance. After scrambling to help Sam pull her dress back up, he glared at Mona furiously. She'd interrupted them at a hell of a moment; he was sure that he and Sam would have gone all the way if they hadn't been discovered. If looks could kill, Jon would certainly be guilty of grand-matricide. Sam was turned away, facing the couch cushions, her face crimson from shame.

"Well, well, well . . . what do we have here? Teenaged hormones, too much champagne, and the _Kama Sutra_ open for reference? How long has this been going on?" Mona sat in a blue armchair beside the couch, ignoring her grandson's rage-filled face and Samantha's deep embarrassment. She held Rose on her lap; the baby was quietly drinking from her bottle, blissfully unaware of the situation.

"You knew?" Jon asked her incredulously. "Why did you come back? Were you trying to catch us? Is that why you tormented us all day with that photo shoot and the dancing?!" He was fairly shaking with fury and thwarted desire. He'd come so close . . . so close and to be shut down by his own grandmother during what would have been his first time, was beyond humiliating.

"Believe it or not, I had no idea until today. I'll hand it to you kids, you had me fooled—that's quite a feat. Tell me, how serious is this? You two were obviously about to do the deed when I interrupted you. Are you sleeping together?" Mona's calm demeanor riled Jonathan and confused Sam; her tone was no different than if they'd been discussing the weather.

"We haven't . . . we didn't . . . we weren't", Sam sputtered, tears shining in her dark eyes. If ever she wanted to die or vanish, it was now. What must Mona think of her? And now Dad and Angela would find out and she'd be kicked out of the house, hated by all of them for her deceit. She felt nauseated.

"You haven't? That's a relief, at least. But don't try and convince me that you weren't about to. Samantha, half your dress was off. At what point were you intending to stop things? Did you two even give a second thought to birth control?" Mona shook her head; Samantha was quite deluded if she believed that her drunken, topless embrace with Jon wouldn't have turned into sex about five minutes later. Mona was relieved to have stopped things when she had.

Samantha and Jonathan didn't answer; they merely looked at each other like naughty schoolchildren.

"Well?" Mona wasn't letting this one go.

Samantha swallowed hard, desperately trying not to cry. "I wasn't planning on it. I . . . had too much to drink. We don't have birth control" she answered, her voice subdued. Just thinking of what could have happened scared her.

"I see. Did you two not pay attention during Sex-Ed?"

"Grandma, Sam was making me wait until college. We didn't think we needed to worry about that stuff." Jon felt really badly for Sam right now; she was clearly on the verge of tears. He put his arm around her to comfort her; she sniffled against his shoulder. "It's okay Boo", he whispered to her.

"Oh, so it has been going on for a while then", Mona confirmed. "Let me guess—you two got together in California. Sam on the rebound from her traumatic breakup, and you never got over your crush", she'd guessed it all. The kids simply nodded.

"It's more than that, Grandma", Jon figured he had nothing to lose now if he explained how he truly felt to his grandmother. Might as well get it all out into the open. "I'm in love with Samantha. Really. This isn't some silly crush. When I thought she was dead, I . . . I thought I was going to die too", he cried.

"Wait a minute! What do you mean, you thought she was dead? What happened over there?" Mona wasn't expecting this.

"Dead! I found her unconscious from dehydration. Grandma, I've never been so scared in all my life. I thought she was dead! And if she had been, it would have killed me." He had no doubt that he wouldn't have been able to live without her.

"Jon, no", Sam looked at him, tears flowing freely down her face now. "Oh no, no, no. I'm so sorry you had to go through that", she tenderly cupped his face and kissed his cheek.

Mona stared at them, her unruffled composure a bit shaken now. She thought she'd merely been stopping two horny and tipsy teenagers from making a stupid mistake. She hadn't taken into account that they might actually be in love. She sighed deeply, and put her head in her hands, "A real live Romeo and Juliet. You two . . . you just gave each other that look."

"What look?" Sam was still reeling from Jon's heart-breaking revelation. She held onto his hand, tightly.

"The same look your parents have for each other. Samantha, are you in love with him?" Mona wanted the truth. "I already know that he loves you."

"Yes", she said simply. "I am, Mona. He's the kindest, sweetest . . . and he loves me. No boy has ever loved me like that. It's so absolute", she smiled tenderly at him. "I know I'm nineteen but he's mature, smart and heading to college next year . . ."Sam wanted Mona to understand how this could have happened.

"Doesn't hurt that he's turned into a hunk either", Mona threw in. Sam nodded and blushed.

"You two seem to be forgetting your biggest obstacle though. It's certainly not your ages or maturity levels", she reminded them. The kids just stared at her blankly.

"Your parents! They're married to each other. How do you think they're going to like this?" Mona wondered if the kids were in la-la land.

"We haven't forgotten. Oh God, Mona please don't tell them; they'll kick me out!" Samantha was desperate. "Yeah Grandma, please. They wouldn't understand", Jonathan's pleas joined in with Sam's. They were both pleading and begging Mona to keep their secret.

"Quiet! Both of you. You're disturbing Rose. I'm going to tell you how it's going to be and you're going to listen!" Once she'd secured their full attention, she continued, "I'm not going to rat you out. Tony and Angela just got married-the last thing they need is this kind of shock and worry. My daughter is finally happy and I intend to keep it that way. And if you love them, you're going to do what I say. Got it?" Jon and Sam nodded, unsure where this was going. Mona paused, making sure that her words were actually sinking into their champagne-addled brains.

"Samantha, you are going to go on that date with Craig", Mona put up her hand when Sam started to protest. "You're going to go because I'm not letting you back out—how would it look if you did? As for the two of you", she said, pointing to them, "you're going to keep it light. Absolutely no sex. Got it?"

"No sex? That's it?" Jon stared at his grandmother, waiting for the axe to fall.

"That, and don't let your parents find out. They won't approve and they won't like it-a new marriage doesn't need that kind of stress. As far as I know, there's no law against you two being in love . . ."

Jonathan interrupted her, "There isn't. There's no law. Step-siblings can even marry if they want to. I checked already, uh, before the wedding."

"Of course you did", Mona studied him for a moment. Her grandson was so serious, just like his mother. As a teenager, Angela had been the adult when her father had died. She'd handled the bills, the funeral arrangements and she'd handled Mona, who had fallen into a deep spiral of grief and despondency. Angela had been as responsible, mature and level-headed at fourteen as she was at forty and it was obvious that her only son had inherited the same steadfastness. He'd somehow succeeded in winning the heart of a nineteen year old beauty, after all.

"I'm not finished", Mona chided Jonathan for interrupting her. "You two have been acting strangely since California; avoiding each other-that's suspicious behaviour. You're friends, aren't you? So**_ be_** friends, openly. Hang out together, talk to each other. You two need to develop your friendship above all. If your feelings are real and permanent, you'll know it when you're older and out of the house. As it is, while you're living here at home, you need to keep a lid on it. Shut it down. Think of the conflict that would arise if your parents found out." Mona then addressed her grandson, her blue eyes sombre.

"Jonathan, if Tony knew that you tried to sleep with his daughter tonight, how do you think he'd react? Do you think you'd ever be able to salvage your relationship with him? He'd never trust you again."

She paused and looked at Sam, "and Samantha, how would Angela feel about your secret tryst with her son? You and Angela have become so close this past year; you helped deliver her baby and she got you through the worst of your break-up. If she found out that you almost had sex with her son, her heart would break and your relationship with her would be irrevocably damaged. They trust you; don't break that trust." Mona looked at the kids and saw that they'd heard her. She hoped they'd heed her advice to avoid the catastrophe that would certainly erupt if they didn't. "Your friendship will be your saving grace. If all else fails and it doesn't work out between you, you'll need that friendship to fall back on. For the sake of this family."

"Well, I'm done here", Mona sighed loudly. It had been a hell of a day and capping it off with a morality speech had sucked the last ounce of her energy. "Good night, I'm off", she announced.

"You're leaving? You . . . you trust us to be alone together?" Sam was stunned. She'd fully expected Mona to spend the night and chaperone them.

"Oh, you're not going to be alone. I'm giving you Rose for the night. You can get up with her for feedings and diaper changes. And when Rose's cries wake you up in the middle of the night, remember how stupid you were tonight. No birth control, indeed. Think of that when you're changing a poopy diaper." Mona handed Rose to Samantha and started walking towards the back door but paused, turned around and grabbed the _Kama Sutra_ and open champagne bottle. "I'll be taking these with me", she said.

"Oh, and Samantha, you'll be calling Craig tomorrow to confirm your date with him. Angela is already expecting you to go out with him. You have no plausible reason not to go", Mona reminded her again before slipping out the back door.

Jon and Sam looked at each other, not sure if they were supposed to feel relieved or condemned.

"Well, she told us, huh? Didn't realize Mona could be so serious." Sam said while bouncing Rose on her knee. The jostling effect caused Rose to spit up a significant amount of curdled, sour milk on Sam's beautiful yellow dress. "Oh gross!" Samantha plunked the baby in Jonathan's lap so she could salvage her gown but Rose didn't like being passed around and she started to howl. Jonathan stood up and tried to comfort the baby, but Rose wouldn't stop crying; the high-pitched sound emitted by her was reminiscent of a fire truck.

"She's going to make me deaf. Sam?" Jonathan followed Sam upstairs with the screeching baby securely positioned over his left shoulder.

"Sam, is your dress alright? Can you take the baby?" Jon shouted to her through the closed bathroom door. He could hear water running. He opened the door, eager to dump the baby on Sam. Rose's cries were becoming louder and more piercing and now she'd filled her diaper as well. Jonathan did not know how to change a diaper and wasn't interested in learning either. "She pooped, Sam. Help."

Samantha was taking a quick shower; Rose's spit up had gotten all over her arm and lap too. While the dress would have to go to the drycleaner's, Samantha was busy trying to scrub herself off when Jon and Rose suddenly barged in on her.

"What are you doing in here? I'm in the shower! Can't you just change her diaper yourself?" Sam stuck her head out through the shower curtain, looking at Jon incredulously. "Seriously, do you expect me to change her while I'm in the shower?"

"I don't know how to change her", he admitted. "Hey, you're naked in there", he sniggered, suddenly intrigued.

"Weren't you listening to what Mona said? She's right, you know. We have to keep it cool, focus on our friendship, for Dad and Angela's sake", she reminded him. "What do you mean you don't know how to change a diaper? For god sakes. Just give me a second—I'll teach you" she huffed at him, sounding irritated. Sam hurriedly finished her shower while listening to Rose's shrieks reverberating against the bathroom wall. The acoustics were ear-piercing.

"Don't worry, I heard Grandma. Friendship, huh? Sam, we came so close tonight. To be interrupted like that . . . by my grandmother . . . you have no idea what that feels like for a guy. Can I look at you? Just this once?" he begged her through the shower curtain.

"Are you kidding me?" she shouted back through the curtain. Sam shook her head. "Get out!"

Samantha waited until she heard him exit, relieved that the bathroom was quiet again. She quickly dried off and changed into her nightgown. Now she was going to teach Jonathan how to change a diaper. Not the evening she'd hoped for but certainly a memorable one. Mona had made her point.

"Come on Jon, Rose's clean diapers are in her room", she led him to the nursery and turned on the light. "This is a change table. Put her down on it, yeah like that. Now, remove her onesie, carefully. Good. Okay, now take off the dirty diaper . . . no, not like that-watch your fingers!" Samantha showed him how to correctly remove a soiled diaper and dispose of it. She taught him how to clean the baby and apply a fresh diaper. The look of dismay on Jon's face made her want to laugh. "It's not rocket science, you know. Now, grab her a fresh onesie—they're in that drawer over there. No, the summer ones. Here's how to dress a baby in a onesie. See? That wasn't so bad, was it?" Rose had stopped crying and was looking up at Samantha with serious dark eyes. Sam picked the baby up and cuddled her against her chest.

"Sam, we don't have to break up now, do we?" Jonathan was worried. Samantha was entirely focused on the baby, snuggling and kissing her.

"No, not break up but take it down a notch, like Mona said. Although, I'm not too thrilled about going out with Craig" she admitted.

"You're not thrilled! How do you think I feel? My girlfriend is being forced to go on a date with a successful, handsome, older guy as mandated by my grandmother! After she messed up my _first time_!" Jon's head was still reeling from his evening.

"Jon, be glad we didn't do it. What if I'd gotten pregnant? Can you even imagine that scenario? Dad and Angela would have been devastated and what the hell would we have done? You're applying to colleges and I want to become a nurse. We can't go there. I'm sorry about the way it happened but it really was for the best." Samantha was feeling level-headed again; the effects of the champagne had dissipated. She walked over to Rose's crib and placed her inside of it. The second Rose's head touched her mattress, she began to howl again. "Oh, you've got to be joking. No, no, shhhhh, Rose." Sam picked her back up and held her until her cries subsided. Jonathan simply stared at her, seemingly lost and adrift. His evening had been completely ruined and now his girlfriend was keeping him at arm's length. The poopy diaper and screaming baby were just the icing on his crappy cake.

The kids had a very difficult night; Rose only wanted to nurse at her mother's breast and wouldn't settle down. She refused her bottle, turning her head away and shrieking. Jon and Sam took turns walking the baby up and down the stairs as Tony had done during those first few colicky weeks. But Rose refused to be comforted; this was her first night away from her mother and she was hysterical.

"Do you think we should call my Mom?" Jon asked at about four in the morning. He was exhausted and extremely cranky. Rose's loud shrieking had certainly induced permanent hearing damage by now.

"No. We can't call her; it's her wedding night! Rose is our responsibility." Samantha was bone tired too and desperately wanted to go to sleep but she couldn't possibly disturb Angela and her dad on their wedding night.

Sam noted Jon's annoyed expression and ordered him up to bed. "I'll take care of the baby in the living room so she doesn't disturb you. Get some sleep. You can relieve me in about two hours." Jon nodded and headed upstairs.

Sam finally figured out that as long as she kept Rose tightly cuddled against her chest, the baby was quiet. She went up and down the staircase a few more times and then finally settled on the couch, with the baby securely nestled against her chest. They both drifted off like that.

Jon had dutifully set his alarm to relieve Sam but when he came downstairs two hours later, and saw her and the baby both asleep on the couch, he wasn't sure what to do. Putting Rose in her crib would certainly wake her up. So, he made himself comfortable beside them in case Rose woke up shortly, during his watch, put his head back on the cushions and fell asleep.

Angela needed to get home. She'd woken up early, feeling as though her breasts were about to explode. She desperately needed to nurse and realized in dismay that she'd left her pump at home.

"Tony, wake up", she shook him awake.

"Whaaa? You want to go at it again? So tired, Ang", Tony continued snoring.

"Hey", she thumped his arm. "I have to go feed Rose. Now!" Angela felt badly about waking him up early after their passion-filled night, but the painful pressure in her breasts was becoming harder and harder to ignore.

Tony stirred, stretched and looked at his new wife through bleary, sleep-filled eyes. "What time is it?" he grumbled.

"Six-thirty, but my boobs are about to burst. I have to go home and nurse" she explained to him.

"Oh, so you don't want another go at it?" Tony teased her. They'd already made love three times that night and he was exhausted.

"Tony!"

"Sorry, Sweetheart. Ok, we'll go but we're going to miss the fabulous breakfast they offer here", Tony was disappointed. He'd hoped to sleep in and enjoy a big breakfast.

"You're only missing a Continental breakfast; this place is French. Croissant and café au lait; we can get that at home", she reassured him.

Tony grudgingly got himself up and ready. Angela hastily packed their things and was ready to bolt out the door the second Tony emerged from the bathroom.

The traffic was practically nonexistent so early on a Sunday morning and they made it home quickly. "If Rose is asleep, I'll just pump a bottle for later", Angela said as she quietly unlocked the front door and tiptoed into the house. She paused at the sight that greeted her; all three children were fast asleep on the couch. Samantha was reclined, legs on the couch, with Rose against her chest and Jonathan was sitting beside Sam's feet, his head back on the backrest.

"Oooh, Tony, look . . . how sweet is that? But why is Rose here with them? Where's Mother?" she whispered to him, confused.

"She must have dumped Rose on the kids. Looks like they had a rough night", he observed.

Angela peered more closely at Rose to make sure she was alright. Rose heard her mother's movements and woke up, staring up at Angela. The baby was hungry and began to cry for her milk. Angela gently picked her up out of Sam's tight grasp and sat on the blue armchair to nurse.

Rose's cries had woken up Samantha; she looked around, disoriented, her arms empty. "Rose?" She jolted herself awake, panicked that she'd dropped the baby.

"Over here", "Angela called to her quietly from the armchair. "I had to come home and nurse. Where's Mother? Did you two take care of Rose all night?"

Samantha yawned and stretched, "Yeah, Mona gave Rose to us. Angela, the baby only slept a couple of hours and she wouldn't take her bottle; she cried all night long." Angela saw the dark smudges under Sam's eyes and felt badly for the girl. Jonathan was still fast asleep.

"You two were up with her all night? Oh you poor things. Why did Mother give her to you?" Angela was upset that her mother had passed the baby along.

Samantha couldn't very well tell Angela the real reason that Mona had left them the baby. "_Gee Angela, Mona wanted to make sure that your son and I didn't have sex and that we'd never forget to use birth control as long as we live"_ didn't quite sound right. Instead, she just stammered "Uh, I think Mona was really tired. She had a long day and . . ." Sam wracked her brain, trying to come up with another good excuse.

"Mother was tired? Of course, at her age . . . maybe it was too much to ask after such a long day. I feel badly now. Thank you, Sam. Thank you for relieving her and taking care of Rose. Why don't you go upstairs and get some sleep? I'm sure Rose will drift off again after this feeding. Your father and I might go back to bed too. We barely slept last night either." Angela clamped her hand over her mouth. She hadn't meant to reveal that last bit and flushed, self-conscious.

Samantha smiled at her; Angela really was adorable when she was embarrassed. "I'm glad you two had a fun wedding night. Where did Dad go?" She'd seen him come in and then he'd vanished.

"Must have gone back to bed already. How was Jonathan? Did he help you out?" Angela was surprised to find him downstairs keeping watch.

"I taught him how to change a poopy diaper", Sam giggled. "It was pretty funny, Angela."

"Oh dear", Angela laughed. "He's such a good kid. Glad to see him stepping up with Rose. I know he's managed to completely avoid diaper duty since he got home but now that you taught him, he can expect to change more."

"That's what you think", Jonathan croaked. He'd had such a bad night and barely slept. To be woken by his mom's promise of more dirty diapers irritated him. He rubbed his eyes and sat up, still grouchy. "Oh geez Mom, you're nursing again?" Embarrassed, he turned around and bolted up the stairs.

Samantha and Angela looked at each other and shrugged.

The remainder of the day was mostly restful. Everybody went back to bed, including Rose, who slept for several hours. They needed to gear up for the next day; Tony had class and both kids were starting their new jobs.

That evening at dinner, the kids decided to take Mona's advice and behave normally. Ignoring each other in front of their parents was a bit strange, they realized. Conversation around the table centred mostly on everybody's plans for the next day.

"Tony, what have you decided concerning your Greek history class?" Angela looked up from her plate, slightly apprehensive. The subject hadn't come up again since the car ride to_ L'Auberge_ and they needed to discuss it now.

Tony needed this class but he didn't want to start a conflict in his brand new marriage. "I don't know, Angela. I can drop it if you want." He took a deep breath, willing to do anything Angela said.

"It's not up to me, Tony", Angela took another bite of wedding leftovers.

Samantha was curious, "Why would Dad drop his class? Isn't that a subject you like, Dad?"

Tony looked down at his plate uncomfortably. "Uh . . . Kathleen's in my class. I think she might be following me around." He said uneasily, his voice low. His words were met by shocked expressions on the kids' faces.

"She_ is_ _definitely_ following you . . . which brings me to a point", Angela interjected. "Jonathan, Kathleen is a waitress at the Fairfield Country Club-you might run into her when you start working there tomorrow. Just avoid her if you can." Angela hoped her son would heed her warning.

"Yeah, I heard. Sam told me all about what happened at your birthday party there. She sounds nuts." Jon shook his head. "Don't worry Mom, I'm a lifeguard so there's no reason for our paths to cross. Besides, what could she possibly want with me? I'd just let her drown", he chuckled mirthfully.

"This is not a joking matter, Jonathan! She showed up _here_, at the house when Rose was a couple of days old. She's after Tony, and I think she's somewhat unhinged." There, Angela spat it out, relieved to voice her fears out loud. Kathleen occupying the same places as her husband and son made her anxious. She felt uneasy and nervous about anything to do with Kathleen. This woman had almost destroyed her family once before and her reappearance in their lives was unsettling.

Sam looked at Angela, noting the worry in her eyes. "Don't worry, Angela. You know that Dad only has eyes for you, right?" Angela squeezed Sam's hand; it was so sweet of her to be reassuring. But the fear deep in Angela's spirit wouldn't go away. The sensation was more visceral than logical but she knew from experience that her gut was never wrong. And she knew that Kathleen was going to be trouble.

"Listen to Sam, Angela. I do only have eyes for you but I need that class", Tony blurted out. "Without it, I won't graduate on time, and I don't want to have an extra heavy load in the Fall. I'm not even remotely interested in Kathleen-you know that!"

Angela worried her lip and glanced at Tony. "I trust you, Tony", she said while he looked back at her, his gaze sincere and steadfast. "Just be careful", she warned him.

Mona decided to add her own two cents worth at this point, "Angela's right, Tony. You need to keep your guard up around her. Kathleen's not very stable." Mona looked around the table at the glum faces around her and decided it was time to liven things up a bit. Talk of Kathleen was ruining everybody's appetite.

"Angela, I have your _Kama Sutra _up in my apartment. I'll return it to you later." Mona held back a chuckle because the kids suddenly looked very worried. She had promised not to reveal their romance and she intended to keep that promise, but there was no reason for her not to make them sweat a bit. They needed a reality check. Besides, it was always fun to torment Jonathan.

"You have it, Mother?" Angela shook her head. "Why am I not surprised?"

"Oh, it's not what you think", Mona shot back. "I confiscated it because your children were a bit too curious about it last night."

Angela looked at Tony as if to say, _I told you so._ "Really? You kids had nothing better to do than look at that thing? Samantha, I'm surprised at _you_." Angela admonished her.

Samantha and Jonathan wanted to defend themselves but really, they had no defense whatsoever. Sam just glared at Mona while Jon gave his grandmother a light kick under the table.

"Oh, don't blame Samantha", Mona continued. "She was quite tipsy and not making the best decisions. Isn't that right, Sam?" Mona wanted the kids to understand how their behaviour impacted their parents, even on this smaller scale. "As for Jonathan, well, what teenaged boy wouldn't be interested in something so overtly sexual? He obviously wasn't thinking with his right head last night." Mona smirked and took another bite of her lasagna.

Tony and Angela gaped at Mona and then at the kids. Both teens wanted to throttle Mona or hide under the table. But they had to simply sit there and take it. They knew how much worse it could be if she exposed their half-naked make out session.

"So, let me get this straight", Tony began, his voice a bit too loud for the dinner table. "You two were drunk and reading a sex manual together?" Tony was more disturbed than angry, his stomach lurching uncomfortably.

Sam and Jon simply nodded, looking down. This was not going well at all. Mona felt badly for them; well perhaps not that badly. Part of her still wanted to laugh. Tony, however, did not appear remotely amused and Angela simply looked upset. Seeing that the children weren't about to defend themselves, _(for how could they?)_ Mona decided to come to their rescue.

"Oh, don't be too angry, Tony. I did leave the champagne and boozy tiramisu lying around after all. Same as Angela left the book. They are just teenagers- and we know that teenagers are inherently stupid", she defended them with a back volley insult. "But in the end, they came through for me and for Rose. I was very tired last night and they offered to take the baby and watch her all night. And they weren't really drunk, or else I wouldn't have let them keep Rose." Time for a bit of praise.

"Yes, yes, they did a wonderful job with Rose", Angela added. She didn't like where the previous conversation had been going and was already stressed about _whatsherface._ Adding new things to her worry-plate was giving her a headache.

"And tomorrow, you both start your new jobs! Isn't that wonderful?" Mona exclaimed cheerfully. "Samantha, I spoke to Craig. He can't wait to show you around and take you to lunch tomorrow. He's a great guy. Aren't you excited?" Mona was ensuring that the kids hadn't forgotten anything she'd told them last night. It merited repeating now that they were fully sober. If they got out of line, Mona was reminding them of the fall out.

Samantha breathed a sigh of relief. Mona wasn't going to mention the _sex-that-almost-happened_. "Yeah Mona, I'm really excited. Craig is so cute", she laid it on thick and winced when Jon kicked her under the table.

"And Jonathan, your new job as a lifeguard is bound to be interesting for you too!" Mona added. "I hear that good looking lifeguards are often approached by the female clientele for sunscreen application. And, my dear boy, you're quite the hunk now, if I say so myself. Why, I'll bet all the bikini-clad beauties will be lining up for your attentions." Mona didn't react to her grandson's withering stare.

That night in bed, Tony and Angela snuggled up for a bit of pillow talk. Angela rested her head on her husband's chest; it always was her favourite position. Tony stroked her hair and held her closely.

"Angela, are you going to be okay with me going to class tomorrow?"

"Tony, we can't let that woman prevent us from living our lives. I don't like that she'll be there but I trust you. Just be careful, Sweetheart. Please."

"I will, Angela. I will. Don't worry so much. There's nothing Kathleen can do; I'm already married and very much in love with my new bride", he reassured her. Angela held onto him more tightly, desperately trying to ignore the fear in her heart.

Across the hall, Samantha was trying to fall asleep when she heard a light tapping at her door. "Come in?" she called out quietly.

Jonathan entered her room and softly closed the door behind him.

"What are you doing in here? You can't be in here!" She whispered loudly, panic in her voice.

"Relax, Sam. Everybody's asleep. Besides, I used to come into your room all the time before . . . before California", he reminded her. He walked over and sat at the foot of her bed, his head in his hands.

"What's wrong?" Samantha put her hand on his shoulder, concerned.

"Sam, I know that Grandma's not going to rat us out but I don't like how much she's pushing you to date this Craig guy. What if you end up really liking him? I don't want to lose you." His voice cracked with emotion. The thought of his girlfriend dating that guy was keeping him awake.

"Hey", she scooted up beside him and put her hand on his cheek, "I don't like him. I met him already, remember? He's arrogant and rude. You know the only reason I'm obeying Mona is because she's holding all the cards right now. We make one false move and . . . crash."

"Yeah, I know. But it's not fair. I love you and we can't even be together", he grumbled.

"But we are together. I love you too. We just have to keep quiet about it. We'll be out of here soon enough and then we can do whatever we want."

"Right now, I want to kiss you", he told her. She nodded, bringing her face close to his. He put his hands in her hair and pulled her even closer. Their kiss started out slowly but quickly grew in intensity. Still frustrated from being interrupted the night before, Jon held her too tightly, and began reaching for her breasts through the thin material of her nightgown.

"No, stop", she pushed him away, breathless. "We can't do that", she gasped.

"I don't want to stop", he cried. "This is torture, Sam. I want you so badly. And right now, I sort of hate my grandmother." He turned away from her and looked out the window, trying to quell his desire. His entire body was on the verge of imploding from lust and longing.

Samantha stood up and walked over to him. She grasped his arm and whispered in his ear, "Soon. We'll be together soon. I promise. Now, go take a cold shower. I'm sorry, Babe." She kissed his cheek and ushered him towards the door.

"And Jon?" Samantha had promised herself not to be worried about it but talk at the dinner table had made her anxious, "be careful at work tomorrow. Stay away from Kathleen. She's crazy and it scares me how much she must hate Angela. You're her son-that alone could make you a target." He nodded, unconcerned but wanting to pacify Sam.

"Good night, Sam. Good luck tomorrow."

"You too. Good night."

Jon quietly exited Samantha's room and went to take a cold shower, not giving Kathleen a second thought.


	24. Chapter 24, Revenge (Kathleen's POV)

**Chapter 24**

Kathleen sighed irritably as she thought of her long day ahead; first her summer class followed by an extra-long waitressing shift at the country club. She was tired of scrounging to make ends meet. Her salary was barely above minimum wage and the bills were mounting; tuition, rent, groceries and credit card bills. She was in debt up to her eyeballs with those credit cards. She hadn't meant for her spending to become so out of control, but shopping was therapeutic and she'd gone on quite a few shopping sprees after Tony had dumped her late last summer. That was almost an entire year ago, yet she hadn't recovered. She looked at her banking papers in dismay; she owed over fifteen thousand dollars on credit card purchases alone. It would take her at least six months to simply earn that amount with her salary but most of it was going towards her regular living expenses. She was panicked and angry because this was mostly Tony's fault. She'd purchased some new furniture on layaway, hoping to entice him to move in and split the cost with her. Instead, he'd stayed with his boss and married her!

Tony was rich now. Or rather, his new wife was rich and that money was rightly his now too. He was rich and married and she hated him. She kept mentally replaying their last encounter over and over again when he'd told her, _I'm getting married this weekend and am completely committed to Angela._ He'd heartlessly flung those words at her, then simply walked out of the classroom, not even giving her a backwards glance or a chance to respond. He'd brushed her off, as though she didn't matter. This, after calling her _a mistake_ in front of all of his friends! This, after dumping her when he'd gotten her dreaming about marriage and children. The cruelty of it burned in her heart and kept her awake at night. She had loved him, let herself be vulnerable with him, given him her body, but in the end, none of that had mattered. He'd never loved her; he'd always loved Angela—since they were children at camp. It was a nauseating story; fate reuniting childhood sweethearts. How revoltingly Hallmark could they get? Kathleen angrily kicked the table leg beside her and instantly regretted it when her toe began to hurt. Damn Tony! She wanted to hurt him back. She wanted him to feel as horrible as she did right now.

Kathleen drove her beat up old Fiat to Ridgemont College. She wished she'd never signed up for the Ancient Greek History class but knew that if she dropped the class now, she wouldn't get back the full tuition amount. She couldn't afford to drop this class even if it meant seeing Tony married, ignoring her, brushing her off, treating her like garbage. The negative thoughts multiplied and fed off of each other and by the time Kathleen pulled into the college's parking lot, she was incensed and on the verge of tears. Tony really had been horrible; the way he'd played her, used her. If he'd always been in love with Angela, then why the hell had he started up with her in the first place? Their entire relationship had been a lie. She'd loved him while he'd been in love with another woman.

She was running a few minutes late and had already spotted Tony's black Cherokee in the parking lot. She had to quash an overwhelming desire to crash her Fiat into his Jeep. She wanted to smash it to bits. But she wouldn't be able to afford the repairs to her own car if she did that. Instead, Kathleen got out of her car, grabbed her school knapsack and walked over to the Jeep. The hood was still warm; Tony must have just arrived. She peered inside the car and saw a baby's car seat, a stuffed bear and a woman's expensive looking cardigan. Kathleen clenched her fists; Angela had given birth less than nine months after Tony had dumped her. He'd obviously cheated on her with Angela. No wonder he'd had to marry her. She was sure that Angela must have gotten pregnant on purpose, to trap Tony. She must have gotten desperate when Tony showed interest in moving out. Kathleen had it all figured out . . . Angela had seduced Tony in order to get pregnant and then forced him to marry her. They both deserved to be punished.

Kathleen looked around the parking lot and made sure that nobody was around; it was fairly deserted since early morning summer classes weren't that popular. She dug into her purse and found her Swiss army knife; an essential item for an army brat like her. She took out the corkscrew and dragged it along the passenger side door, leaving a deep scrape. Oooh, that felt so good. The sound of metal grating against metal—it was satisfying. She drew on the car with the sharp implement, making erratic designs in the black paint. She was breathing hard; it took a lot of effort to dig the corkscrew deeply enough to do real damage. Next, she looked at the tires . . . they could use a bit of attention. She pushed the corkscrew as hard as she could but wasn't doing much damage. So, she pulled out the largest knife and dug hard into the right, front tire's rubber, between the grooves. She shoved that knife in as hard as she could, pretending that it was Tony's flesh. She twisted and thrust it until she could hear a hiss of air. Vandalizing the Jeep had given her a sense of euphoria; Tony would freak out when he saw that. She didn't want him to suspect her though, so she hurriedly damaged a few other cars nearby for good measure, before finally heading to class.

In class, Kathleen pointedly ignored Tony. He sat in the front row, as usual, listening attentively to the professor and taking notes. She stared at him, noting the white gold wedding band gleaming on his left hand. Bile rose to her throat and she wanted to scream at the injustice of it. He was supposed to be her husband! But, he'd chosen that rich bitch instead, she fumed. And Daddy had been so disappointed in her, not in Tony. Daddy had had the audacity to ask her why she hadn't been able to hold onto her man.

At the end of class, Tony turned around and saw her. He looked away from her and headed for the door, his books in hand. Wait. He wasn't allowed to ignore her . . . _she was ignoring him_.

"Tony", she couldn't help herself. His name just popped out of her mouth. He turned around, his face tense and looking as though he couldn't wait to get away from her.

"Hi Kathleen. I gotta go . . . busy day", he started walking towards the door, with his back turned to her.

She wanted a connection; an acknowledgement. He owed her that much. "Tony, wait . . ." he stopped and took a deep breath, clearly wanting to be anywhere but here. She lightly put her hand on his arm and he flinched at her touch. Her eyes narrowed—the inherent insult and rejection in that involuntary movement offended her. "Never mind", she said. "I just wanted to congratulate you on your wedding", she lied. Hiding her tears, she ran out of the classroom, not waiting for him to respond.

Then, she remembered the Jeep and she smiled. The temptation was too powerful-she had to see his reaction. She quickly sprinted to the parking lot, hid behind a large van and waited. She wasn't disappointed. Tony made his appearance about five minutes later and instantly noticed that his Jeep was lopsided-the stabbed tire was almost completely flat and the Cherokee was slumped at an awkward angle, like an injured animal.

She couldn't hear him from her vantage point, but she could see how upset and shocked he was as he examined the damage to his tire as well as the deep scratches on the passenger door. She was giddy with anticipation, elatedly watching him as he looked at his car in disbelief. She saw him run back into the building, no doubt to alert campus security. This was her cue to leave, so she quickly ran to her car and took off for the country club where her waitressing shift was about to begin.

Kathleen did not enjoy working at the Fairfield Country Club; at least not since Angela's birthday party. Just remembering the humiliation overwhelmed her at times and she'd catch herself clenching her hands and teeth a little too hard. She couldn't beat the location, however, and the place was swanky. All employees had free use of the facilities, so she could use the gym, the pool and the tennis courts whenever she wanted to. Still elated from Tony's reaction to the vandalized jeep, she practically skipped into the kitchen to begin work.

"What's with you?" Jessie, another waitress asked her. She was wary of Kathleen's moodiness. There was a lot of workplace gossip about her mental health since her public meltdown.

"Oh nothing", she shot back. "I just had a great morning."

"Well, it's about to get a lot better", Jessie told her conspiratorially, "They opened the outdoor pool today, and the new lifeguards are here! You wouldn't believe some of the hunks they hired this year. Tall, tanned, golden . . . go have a look during your break, later! I plan on going for a swim after my shift!" She laughed.

Kathleen didn't much care about lifeguards but she was trying to make friends at work. Jessie was one of the only waitresses to engage her in conversation. "Well, maybe a swim after my first shift would be nice and refreshing. I'll join you."

After sweating through a four hour shift, Kathleen finally had a lengthy break before her dinner shift began. She made a quick stop at the gift shop and purchased the cheapest bathing suit they had along with some sunscreen and headed over to the pool to meet up with Jessie.

Jessie had saved her a lounge chair and was already scoping out the men at the pool. With her long red hair and curvaceous figure, she was always trying to land a rich country club patron. Unfortunately, she'd only managed to attract men looking to have a little fun on the side. None of the class-conscious members of the Fairfield Country Club were looking to become involved with a waitress. Kathleen knew that too; she'd also tried. A man who could afford a membership here would definitely be a meal ticket.

The two women sat together, taking in the scene around them. It was fairly busy today because of the heat and school being out. Bored, teenaged girls were unabashedly flirting with the lifeguards and making nuisances of themselves. Even worse were the middle-aged women trying to garner attention of their own. Kathleen snickered when she saw Joanne Parker sauntering around the pool in a skimpy bikini and high heeled sandals-she looked ridiculous. That woman was Tony's neighbour and one of the worst gossips frequenting the club. Because of her alone, the incident at Angela's party had become legend. The small Fairfield community could be suffocating at times; it seemed that everybody knew everybody's business. And thanks to Joanne Parker's gossip, Kathleen was a laughing stock.

"Look at that lifeguard, Kathleen! He's gorgeous!" Jessie was pointing to a tall, handsome teenager. There was something familiar about him that Kathleen couldn't quite place. He was definitely cute and very busy, applying sunscreen, reprimanding rowdy kids and watching the pool attentively. He had the lean, muscular body of an athlete but he was definitely too young for Jessie. Kathleen admired him, while trying to remember where she'd seen him before.

"Jessie, he's a kid . . . seventeen at most", she shook her head at her friend.

"Yeah, well that's not stopping Joanne Parker", she laughed. "Look, Joanne's trying to get sunscreen from him. Oh my god . . . she did not just squeeze his ass!" Jessie and Kathleen dissolved into a fit of giggles but the scene playing out before them demanded their attention. The lifeguard stopped and looked at Joanne in horror.

"Mrs. Parker?" he asked, shocked.

When he turned around and faced her, Joanne stumbled backwards, also shocked. "Jonathan . . . Jonathan Bower? Oh . . . I didn't recognize you. I . . . I . . . I thought you were somebody else." Joanne Parker turned beet red and quickly scurried towards the pool house.

Jessie was laughing so hard that she didn't notice her friend suddenly go completely quiet. Kathleen couldn't believe it. This was Angela's son? She'd met him last year when he'd been nothing but a gangly, dorky kid. She did a double take, stunned. But why was he here? Kathleen couldn't understand why a rich kid like him would even need a summer job. But then, it all fell into place. Angela must have sent him to spy on her. She swallowed hard . . . Angela was using her son to keep an eye on her. It all made sense. She was a member of the club, after all and she hadn't wanted Kathleen to keep her job. Angela wanted revenge for her birthday party, of course. Kathleen suddenly felt as though she couldn't breathe. This boy was Angela's eyes—she felt anxious and tense. Before he could spot her, she snuck away and went to start her dinner shift, Jessie looking after her, confused.

All through her dinner shift, Kathleen couldn't stop thinking about Angela sending her son to spy on her. It was the only thing that made sense to her. That kid didn't need money; he was born with the proverbial silver spoon. She was distracted, making stupid mistakes with guests' orders and becoming frustrated. Was this kid going to be here all summer? Preoccupied by her own fears, she stumbled about her duties that night, desperate to know more about the Bower kid's presence here.

When her shift was finally over, Kathleen decided to do a little spying of her own. Two could play at that game; she needed to know if he was reporting on her. And she had to stay out of sight—she absolutely couldn't let him see her. He was dangerous, an enemy agent sent by his horrible mother.

Kathleen surreptitiously crept around the club grounds, carefully staying out of sight. She wanted to hear if the Bower kid said anything about her to other employees, or maybe she'd overhear if he phoned his mother to report on her. It was eight o'clock and still daylight out but the pool was closing for the day; guests had been sent home and the lifeguards were busy cleaning up and joking around with each other. She saw him then-he was cleaning the pool with a big net, scooping out leaves and insects, looking so calm and collected. Kathleen ducked behind a lounge chair and quickly darted behind the towel cabana; nobody would look back there. She couldn't see but she could hear everything.

"So, Jon, how was your first day?" asked a lifeguard. "Rub enough sunscreen on half naked chicks?" he guffawed.

"I'm not interested in any of the 'chicks' here. Already have a girlfriend. But it's nice working here, being outside all day in the hot sun. Reminds me of California. I lived there with my dad for about a year." That was news to Kathleen.

"California? Nice. Hey Jon, there's a cute girl waving at you. Whoa, what the hell is she driving? A yellow submarine?" The unseen lifeguard let out another irritating laugh. Kathleen couldn't see the girl or the car but she knew that Tony's daughter drove a hideous yellow eyesore.

"Well she's my ride so I'll finish up here. See you tomorrow, Dave."

"Yeah, I'm outta here too. Bye Jon."

Kathleen heard Dave leave and the girl arrive.

"Hi Boo", she heard Jon addressing the girl. "Thanks for picking me up. How was work today?"

"Early! While you were sleeping in until your noontime shift, Mona and I had to be at the office by eight-thirty. It was brutal", she paused. "So while I was doing paperwork, you got to hang out here, huh?" The voice obviously belonged to Samantha, Kathleen realized. She listened carefully—these kids could reveal a lot about their parents.

"Yeah, lucky me, getting groped by Joanne Parker." Jon chuckled.

"What?! Joanne?! No way! What happened?"

"She didn't recognize me. Apparently, she has quite the reputation as a man chaser. She makes Grandma look tame. She just pinched my butt. But Sam, when she recognized me, I thought she was going to have a stroke!" He was laughing hard now.

"Oh my God" Samantha dissolved into a giggling fit. "Well, it is a nice butt. How could she resist?" Kathleen raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"How was your lunch date, Sam?"

"Ugh, don't remind me! Craig is so arrogant! He took me to a trendy bistro and waved his platinum credit card around. Gag. And he just talked about himself the entire time. I barely got a word in edgewise-he was just looking for an audience."

"Glad it was awful. Hey, now that you did what Mona wanted, you're done, right?" he asked her.

"Uh-uh. Got another date with him this Saturday. Mona's pushing again. But don't worry, I'm not interested in him. He's just a good cover for us." Samantha giggled and Kathleen suddenly became very interested in the conversation. What were these two up to?

"You're going out with him again? Sam, is that such a good idea? He's going to think you're interested. How are you supposed to get rid of him after that? Besides, I was hoping you and I could watch the _Star Trek_ marathon on Saturday night. Mom and Tony were invited to a dinner party. We'd have the house to ourselves-well with Rose."

"_Star Trek_? Hmmm, date with arrogant, annoying guy or a night in with you, Kirk and Spock . . .", Samantha debated. "You sure you don't just want me there to change dirty diapers?" her voice was light and teasing.

"Come here, to the little cabana." Kathleen could hear them walking towards the towel bathhouse. She held her breath and stayed crouched down, frozen. They were getting closer to her position but then entered the cabana. She put her ear against the rough wood to make sure she didn't miss anything.

"Boo, we've got a bit of privacy here. _smooch_. Are you going to pick me up every day?" Kathleen could hear them kissing and giggling. She was flabbergasted.

"I thought of letting you borrow my car but maybe it is more fun if I have to pick you up every evening." Kathleen squinted between the wooden slats. She couldn't believe it; Tony's daughter was making out with Angela's son. Surely their parents didn't know about this!

Suddenly Samantha pulled away. "Speaking of cars, I forgot to tell you. Dad's Jeep was badly vandalized at the college today. One tire was slashed and the passenger door is all scratched up. At least a thousand dollars in damages. He's livid!"

"What? That's crazy. Did they catch who did it?" Jon was stunned.

"He thinks it may have been Kathleen. But he hasn't got any proof and campus security didn't see anybody. Besides, about five other cars were also damaged. It's just that Dad's car was the worst." Kathleen breathed a huge sigh of relief—campus security didn't suspect her and had no proof of anything. She knew for a fact that the security cameras were just dummies; her friend at the registrar had told her about the budget cuts resulting in no live feed.

"Kathleen? Really, do you think she's capable of that?" Jon sounded unsure.

"I don't know. Angela thinks she's unhinged. And she did act really crazy at her birthday party. Did you see her today?" Hearing the word 'unhinged' to describe her made Kathleen wince. She really did hate Angela.

"Nope. I stayed away from the kitchen. We shouldn't run into each other. Right now, I'm more worried about middle-aged women groping me." He chuckled.

"Good, I don't want her anywhere near you. And nobody gets to grope you except for me." Kathleen smiled; she had information on the kids that would certainly horrify Tony and Angela. She just needed to know how to play her cards right and use that knowledge to her own benefit.

"Jon? Mona's taking me to a private women's clinic tomorrow. She wants me on the Pill." Kathleen sat up straighter, listening to Samantha and Jon's very private conversation. Information was power, after all. She greedily took it all in, formulating a plan in her head.

"Really? Why? Is she giving us permission? Or does she expect you to 'get under' Craig?" Jon sounded concerned.

"Neither. She was pretty horrified when she found us on the night of the wedding. She's worried we might slip up. I don't know, Jon. She says it's not permission but that it's essential. I'm pretty confused, actually." Sam paused for a moment before continuing. "She doesn't fully trust us. But for Dad and Angela's sake, we do need to keep a lid on it at home. If they found out what we did on their wedding night . . . I can't imagine how shocked and upset they'd be. I think Dad would have a heart attack and Angela would just burst into tears." Samantha shook her head sadly and let Jon embrace her. The two of them stayed glued to each other, hugging tightly. "I never want to hurt them, Jon. I love them but I love you too."

"Shhhh, Boo. It's okay. I'll be in college soon enough. Although, if you're going to be on the Pill soon, then maybe we can find a private place, like this cabana here and . . ." he left the suggestion hanging.

"Maybe", she whispered to him. Kathleen saw them kissing again and smiled giddily. She'd found the lynchpin to Tony and Angela's devastation.

The next day, Kathleen brought a small camera to work. She was extremely relieved that nobody had questioned her about the vandalized cars at school. She felt light, free and eager-eager to get a move on with her plan. After mulling it over during the night, she realized that simply telling Tony that his daughter and step-son were getting it on might not be the best course of action. She needed proof, of course. Hence, the camera. And while she was at it, maybe she could personally benefit from the situation-financially. She desperately needed money and Jonathan Bower was a rich kid—he'd be more than willing to fork over some of his mother's money to keep her quiet. Kathleen could barely keep the smile off of her face. She had power and now she was going to get rich off of it too. The mere thought made her giddy with anticipation.

That evening, as the pool was closing, Kathleen once again took up her hiding spot behind the towel cabana and waited, camera in hand. Samantha showed up at the same time as the previous day to pick up her step-brother. Kathleen shuddered at their love affair; the shockwave would surely send Tony into orbit. The camera couldn't take a decent picture from between the wooden slats; Kathleen would need to surprise them and catch them kissing. It wouldn't be too hard; they were already inside the cabana. She listened attentively to the teenaged couple behind the wooden planks.

"Hey Honey. How was your day?" Samantha asked Jon.

"I missed you._ smooch_ You didn't have lunch with Craig again, did you?"

"No, Mona took me to the medical clinic during lunch. Got my prescription for the Pill. I start taking it as soon as my next cycle begins", she informed him.

"Yeah?" Jon sounded excited. "Is that soon?" The kid sounded so hopeful that Kathleen couldn't suppress a quiet giggle.

"Not sure exactly but I'm thinking after the weekend, probably. You'll be the first to know, okay?" Kathleen watched as the kids started kissing. She silently slipped out of position, ready to pounce. Camera in hand, she stealthily made it around the corner and started snapping photos of their lip lock. The camera's flash alerted them to her presence and they jumped apart, stunned.

"Hi kids", she said nonchalantly. "What do we have here? Marcia and Greg Brady having an affair?" Kathleen gave them an evil grin and took another photo of their mouths hanging open in shock.

Jon reacted first. "What the hell do you think you're doing, Kathleen?" His face was red, fists clenched.

"Just getting some insurance. I assume you don't want your parents to know about this . . . this thing you've got going on. I can keep your dirty little secret, for a price." She sneered at them, feeling drunk with power.

Samantha shrank back. Her fear pleased Kathleen; Tony's little girl was a little whore. It was so perfect that it made her want to laugh.

"What's your price?" Jon was in control while his girlfriend half hid behind him.

"You're rich. Two thousand dollars. Tomorrow. And I'll keep these pictures to myself." Kathleen could really use that money. She'd try and get more after, of course. They'd have to keep paying.

"Two thousand? That's extortion. Blackmail! Geez, you're a real bitch. My mom was right about you." Jon shook his head angrily, resisting the urge to pop her one. "I'll bet it was you who vandalized Tony's Jeep!"

"Who me? Not at all." Kathleen made an innocent face, then her mouth twisted cruelly, "Two thousand. Don't tell me you can't get that amount. You don't even need this job and you'll be making at least that much over the summer."

"And if we don't?" Samantha finally getting some courage. "We don't want to give you money! I don't believe that you didn't damage my dad's car—you should be giving him one thousand!"

"If you don't, then I'm going to show these pictures to your daddy and tell him that you're on the Pill. He'll love that, I'm sure." She smiled sweetly at Sam, her eyes narrow and mean.

"I hate you!" Sam started lunging for Kathleen, ready to slug her but Jon held her back. "Don't, Boo. She'll get you on assault. I'll give her the money. It's easier this way." He shot Kathleen a dirty look.

"Two thousand dollars and you're out of our lives for good. You drop that class you're in, stay away from Tony, and you never, ever come to the pool while I'm working here. Those are my terms." Jon was trying to regain some balance through negotiating. But he knew Kathleen had him and Sam cornered.

"You're on." She went to shake his hand but he refused to touch her. "When I bring you the money tomorrow, you give me that film, got it?"

Kathleen nodded, planning to make copies that night. No way was she losing her bargaining chip. "You're on, kid", she lied.

That night, Kathleen got the first good night's sleep in a long time. After the first two thousand dollars, she'd ask for more money and then probably tell Tony anyway. Just thinking of the look on his face when he found out about his daughter would be priceless.


	25. Chapter 25, Summer 1991, part 1

**Chapter 25**

Tony and Angela were finishing up their dinner when the kids returned from the country club. Samantha had quickly wolfed down her food before picking up Jonathan from work, but now followed him into the kitchen as Tony served him a still-warm plate.

"Got some food for you here, kiddo", Tony heaped a generous portion of meat and vegetables for Jonathan. "How was your day? You look a bit sunburnt." Jon looked at his plate and sighed, "It was fine." The confrontation with Kathleen had completely killed his appetite despite his physically active day.

"What's wrong, Sweetheart?" Angela could see that her son wasn't quite himself. Neither was Samantha for that matter. Both kids were quiet and seemed upset.

Jonathan shrugged and looked at Sam; a silent message passing between them. In the car, on the way home, they'd discussed how to get two thousand dollars for Kathleen's blackmail. Jon had the money in his account, but he worried that his mom might notice such a large withdrawal. Sam only had a few hundred dollars to her name and couldn't contribute much. The mere thought of giving Kathleen her hard-earned money made her want to smack the smug, cold smile off of that bitch's face. She felt trapped, scared and utterly outraged by the situation. She and Jon had lamented about the wrongness of it all the way home until Sam had simply burst into tears. Knowing they were cornered and at the mercy of a certifiable psychopath troubled them a great deal. They were sure that Kathleen had vandalized Tony's Jeep and they wondered just how dangerous she was.

"Yo, what's up with the two of you?" Tony wondered what the kids were brooding about. They were clearly shaken-up.

"Sam drove over a cat", Jonathan blurted out suddenly. Mom and Tony were staring at them too intensely and that was the first thing that popped into his head. Well, she'd almost run over a cat, distracted as she was by the 'Kathleen situation'. He was merely exaggerating.

Sam breathed in relief. Yes, she'd nearly hit a cat but swerved at the last second. It sounded plausible enough. "Poor cat never saw me coming. It just darted out in front of the car", she added dramatically, her true emotions raw and at the surface. "What am I going to do?" she cried. The question rose from deep within her heart. Kathleen's trap had shocked her. Were she and Jon in over their heads with Kathleen's threats and extortion? They had so much to lose.

"Oh no, you poor thing!" Angela could see how upset Samantha was and leaned over her chair to give her a hug. Sam raised her arms and held onto Angela tightly, seeking comfort there. Kathleen's threats had struck her where she was most vulnerable; in her fears of losing another mother. She squeezed Angela hard, terrified of hurting or losing her.

"I'm sorry" she sniffled, "I'm so sorry. I never meant for anything like this to happen, Angela", Sam burst into tears again.

"Honey, it's okay. You didn't run over the cat on purpose. I know you're sorry that it happened." Angela was a bit puzzled by Sam's overwrought emotions. The girl was squeezing her too tightly around the neck. Angela gently disengaged Sam's arms and pulled back to look at her but Sam looked away, unable to meet her gaze.

Jon couldn't simply sit by while his girlfriend was crying; the confrontation with Kathleen had hit her hard. She'd personally gotten into Sam's face about the things that mattered most; disappointing her father and hurting Angela. Unable to take it anymore, he threw caution to the wind and walked over to her. She looked at him, unsure but he held out his hand and motioned for her to stand. He pulled her up into a tight hug. Mom and Tony wouldn't be able to read anything from a hug, would they? Right now, he didn't much care. Grandma had advised them to be friends openly, and friends hugged and comforted each other.

"Shhhh, Sam. I know you got scared just now and that you didn't want any of it to happen. It's going to be okay. You didn't do anything wrong; sometimes stuff just happens. We can't always control things but I promise you that it's going to be fine." He used words that would work for both a squashed cat as well as their real situation, knowing that she understood his true meaning. She sniffled against his shoulder and finally let herself relax in his embrace, in the kitchen, in front of their parents.

The show of support and affection surprised Tony and Angela. They were so used to seeing the kids either fighting or ignoring each other. Angela smiled; the kids were finally getting along and her son was being so sweet and caring towards Samantha. Tony, however, was not smiling; he had the same uneasy feeling in his stomach that he'd had on the morning of his wedding when he'd caught Samantha staring at Jon, her expression unreadable. He couldn't fault them for a hug, but he could break it up.

"Your food is getting cold, Jonathan. Better eat it now. Sam will be fine, won't you Sam?" Tony looked at her as she broke free from the hug, her face flushed. Something rang untrue. It wasn't like Sam to freak out this badly about road kill. And he hadn't forgotten about them looking at the _Kama Sutra_ together. Angela's son had undergone such a profound physical metamorphosis during his time away that neighbours didn't immediately recognize him. And girls noticed him now, a lot. He studied Samantha for a moment as she sat at the table watching Jon eat. Both kids felt his probing gaze and glanced up at him, uneasily.

"Something the matter, Dad?" Sam's heart was pounding. Was he onto them? She tried to act as nonchalantly as possible.

"Just seems that you're overreacting about a cat", Tony muttered.

"No, Dad, I'm not. I got scared, okay? That cat appeared out of nowhere. I wasn't expecting her, er, it and now I feel guilty. I never meant to hurt anybody . . . or their pet." Tears started welling in her eyes again. Samantha was terrified of hurting those she loved and Kathleen had indeed appeared out of nowhere. She glared at Tony defiantly. Maybe moving back to the dorm would be a good idea; getting out from under this scrutiny. But how would she pay for it? She'd be handing her money over to a blackmailer.

Tony sensed that something was off; that Sam wasn't being entirely honest. In fact, he'd had that feeling ever since her return from California. But he couldn't put his finger on it, nor give it a name and she hadn't actually done anything that he could complain about. But he knew his daughter, and something was definitely going on with her.

"Well I know what'll cheer everybody up!" Angela announced suddenly. She found Tony harsh and unsympathetic to his daughter and it bothered her. Poor Samantha; Angela had only compassion for the kid. She herself had accidentally run over a squirrel once, and had been somewhat shaken up by the incident.

"What's that, Angela?" Tony asked her.

"Ben is coming by shortly to show us the wedding picture proofs! He said he has some exciting news for the kids too, but wouldn't tell me anything. He should be here in about half an hour with the pictures. Isn't that wonderful? I've been dying to see our wedding photos. Ben does such amazing work—he is my favourite photographer to work with. Too bad I can't get him to reconsider an exclusive contract with my agency." Angela took a moment to gush about Ben and distract the kids from their traumatic road kill incident. Samantha smiled gratefully up at Angela before heading upstairs to get away from her dad.

Ben, the photographer arrived soon thereafter, arms filled with folders, portfolios and albums. He greeted Angela warmly and spread his materials all over the coffee table.

"I've got some fantastic shots, Angela" he told her as the others joined to have a look. "Check out this great photo of Tony carrying you over the threshold!" Ben showed her the sublime shot and suggested that they enlarge it in black and white.

"Ben, these are beautiful!" Angela exclaimed as she looked through the proofs. "And that threshold shot couldn't be better. Tony, we should get it framed. I love it." He nodded at her, also admiring the photo. Their faces were effused with joy and love; their pose natural and romantic. It was the quintessential wedding shot, capturing the moment so perfectly.

"Got some great ones with the baby too", Ben showed them the photos with Rose between them and then the family portraits. While Angela was_ oooohing_ and _aaaaahing_ over Rose, Ben started rifling through his portfolio, searching for papers. He had something important to announce to the maid of honor and best man.

"Angela, I want you to keep an open mind about this. As you know, I don't only work for the Bower Agency. One of my clients is _Amberose & Finch_", he began.

"The clothing company!? I love their jeans!" Samantha enthused. "Just wish I could afford more than one pair."

"What's this about, Ben?" Angela was wary. _Amberose & Finch_ had rejected the Bower Agency. She'd hoped to work with them but they'd gone with trendier _Pierce Advertising_ instead. They wanted their ads to be racy and sexy and apparently Angela's campaign proposal had been a bit too sedate for them.

"I do a bit of talent scouting too and I showed them these", Ben laid out four pictures of Samantha and Jonathan; his best ones. The kids were photogenic and of modelling quality for sure. "They loved this shot in particular and are interested in working with the kids!" Ben held up the picture of Jon grinning at Samantha, while she coyly smiled back at him. Her expression was captivating, subtly romantic, yet enigmatic.

"What?!" Angela was stunned. "After rejecting my agency, they want my son and step-daughter as their models? I don't think . . ."

"Mom, wait!" Jon interrupted her. "How much would a gig like this pay?"

"Jonathan!" Angela was getting upset now. Tony was examining the photo up close, wondering exactly what was about it that bothered him. It really was a beautiful photograph and the kids were both so good looking but something about the way they were looking at each other . . . and the thought of Sam modelling again annoyed him. He hadn't liked it one bit the first time.

Ben addressed the teenagers directly, bypassing Angela. He wanted these kids for his client and he would get a finder's fee for them too. "Depends on how many ads you do. We're talking tens of thousands of dollars for a few print ads. They were thinking of the two of you for a jean campaign. Funny that you were saying how much you like them, Samantha. You'd probably be set for life with _Amberose & Finch_ jeans if you did the ad." He paused, noting Sam's ecstatic smile. "Samantha, your name came up in our model database. You've already modelled and we were impressed with your work. I'm not surprised, with a face like yours. May I ask why you dropped it?" Ben was curious. This girl was so beautiful; she could have gone on to have quite the career.

"Uh, well, apparently I'm a bit too short for it", she admitted. She also wanted to say that modelling had turned her dad into a hovering, opinionated, deranged control freak who humiliated her on photo shoots, but she was nineteen now and didn't even need his permission anymore. If she could make tens of thousands of dollars, then she was in for sure. Paying Kathleen wouldn't be a problem at all.

"Not for print ads", he told her. "Sure, you're too petite for the runway but we need beautiful faces and bodies for magazine ads. That's what this is for; their next clothing catalogue as well as magazine, newspaper and billboard spots. You'd be perfect, Doll" Ben reassured her.

"Yeah? Well, I'm in!" she exclaimed, her smile wide and happy.

"Great, and you, Jonathan?" Ben looked at Angela hopefully but she was shaking her head.

"Ben, I don't know. _Amberose & Finch_ has quite a raunchy reputation. Their catalogue last year pushed the boundaries of everything that's decent. They had under aged kids posing in underwear. No wonder they didn't want to work with me—I run a clean campaign. Jonathan's only sixteen; I don't want him posing in his skivvies on a billboard."

"Oh come on, Mom. He said jeans, not skivvies! I could really use that money for tuition and a car. Lifeguarding only pays me minimum wage. And if Sam's going to do it, then why not me too?" Jon was also thinking of the money they'd need for Kathleen's blackmailing. And a new car would be great. Sam would finally be able to ditch her yellow school bus.

Tony jumped in then, "I never said that Sam could do it!"

"Dad, sorry but you don't get a say. I'm nineteen." She smiled at Ben.

"Actually kids, they want both of you. They loved the chemistry you have on film. It's an 'all or nothing' deal. Although, Sam, I could certainly find you other work if you're interested. But nothing will be as good as this. This is _Amberose & Finch_! They're famous, infamous, whatever . . . it's an amazing opportunity. It would be a shame for you not to do it. Angela, don't worry. I'll be photographing the campaign myself. Won't let the kids pose in their skivvies. It'll be very tasteful and I'll take good care of them, I promise!" Ben respected Angela tremendously and as a freelance photographer, he had to admit that working for her was his best gig. But this was huge; _Amberose & Finch_ paid him more than any other client. And if he sourced their models, he could start calling himself a casting director too. That would mean so much more work. He just needed to convince Angela now; the kids were already on board.

"Would they let me sit in on the photo shoots?" Angela was starting to cave. The kids' hopeful expressions were hard to ignore.

"I don't think so, Angela. Yes, you're a parent but you also own a rival agency. Do you trust me to look out for them? I'm trustworthy, after all." Ben turned his charm on full force. Trying to keep everybody happy wasn't going to be easy.

"Yes Ben, you are trustworthy. Oh boy, this is a big decision. Can I sleep on it, at least?" Angela wasn't one for making quick decisions while under duress.

"For you, Angela? Of course." Ben winked at her and wished the kids good luck getting permission.

After Ben left, Tony and Angela sat the kids down in the living room for a round table discussion about the modelling.

Tony began, "I don't think it's a good idea. Look at this _Amberose & Finch_ catalogue Ben gave us . . . it's full of scantily clad teenagers posing in ways that would make any parent cringe." He flung the catalogue on the coffee table as though it could contaminate him. He did not want Samantha in that type of vulgar publication.

"Well, that catalogue was made before they hired Ben. He's not like that. I'm sure it would be very tastefully done", Angela was beginning to seriously consider it. The kids would have a good chunk of money put aside for tuition and she knew that Harvard Medical School would be outrageously expensive. Angela had no doubt that Jonathan would be accepted, and with the current recession, times were lean at the Bower Agency.

"Mom please. This is an amazing opportunity, and Sam and I will be set for school. Besides, Dad was supposed to buy me a car for my sixteenth birthday and he just flaked on me." Jonathan tried to hide the hurt he felt about his father's abandonment. Michael had promised to be back, but Jon still hadn't heard from him. Did his dad even know that he'd left California? Had Michael expected him to live alone at the beach house? It still bothered Jon a lot. But as usual, he shoved those painful thoughts out of his mind, and concentrated on the task at hand—convincing Mom and Tony to let him do the jean commercial.

"Alright", Angela conceded. "You can do it on one condition." She looked at Jonathan very seriously.

"Anything, Mom. What is it?"

"You keep your grades up and finish the accelerated program as we've discussed. You've only got one semester to go since you're so ahead of the game. I don't want to see any slacking. If your GPA so much as drops by a tenth of a point, you're out. Got it?"

"Yeah Mom, that's fine. Keeping my grades up isn't a problem, I promise. So that's it? I can do it?" Jon asked his mother hopefully.

"Yes. I suppose so. But I'm not terribly thrilled that you'll be working with _Pierce Advertising_ on this. They really push the boundaries of decency. And Sam, I expect you to keep working at the Bower Agency. I hired you this summer because I really do need the extra help there."

"Yes, Angela, I will! Thank you!" Samantha squealed with delight, wanting to jump up and down. Their money problems were over!

"Ahem!" Tony was not happy with this turn of events one bit.

"Sam, remember that last time you modelled? You went crazy with spending. This time, you're gonna put your paycheques in the bank, okay? Save up for nursing school. And if you're at all uncomfortable with any of those photo shoots, you just refuse to do them!" Tony was trying to be strict but it was hard when his daughter wasn't technically a minor anymore. Still, nineteen was such a tender age and Tony knew that teenagers didn't have their heads on too straight yet. Providing guidance while letting her grow up was always a tough line to walk. Tony tended to be overprotective and that suited him just fine. He just wished he had a bigger say in this decision too.

Samantha reassured her father and gave him an impulsive hug. "Thanks Dad!" she yelled out before running up the stairs, the _Amberose & Finch_ catalogue in hand. Jonathan followed her up, leaving Tony and Angela alone in the living room.

"Angela, I still don't like it. You said you were going to sleep on it, not make a decision ten minutes later!" Tony was annoyed and he was letting Angela know it.

"I know Tony. I know. But once I made up my mind, I didn't want to make the kids wait all night for an answer. Jonathan got me to thinking about his need for a car. Michael was supposed to buy him one—he promised Jonathan that he'd give him one for his sixteenth birthday. Not only did he not buy him a car, but he didn't even call him on his birthday. Tony, he just left him all alone in that beach house! I don't get it. Abandoning me with a seven year old is one thing but leaving a teenager all alone, three thousand miles away from his mother is quite another. I'm still so furious with him!" Angela always felt tears close to the surface when she thought of how deeply Michael had wounded their son.

"Angela, do you think that we made a mistake sending Jonathan to California last year? I thought Michael was ready for the responsibility. It seemed like such a good idea at the time, especially after Jonathan kissed Samantha. But now . . . Angela, I feel kinda guilty. Like I pushed you to it. Maybe neither of you was ready for that separation. I never expected Michael to abandon the kid again." Tony felt badly about the entire situation between Jon and his father. He looked at Angela with trepidation wondering if she blamed him.

"Oh Tony. It's not your fault. Michael seemed so earnest. And in the beginning, he taught Jonathan how to surf, drive and play the piano. He wanted to catch up for those lost years. It doesn't make any sense that he simply abandoned him." Angela looked up at Tony, her dark eyes troubled. "Tony, Jonathan hasn't really talked about it but I know he's deeply hurt over this. I've tried broaching the subject with him but he won't open up. Could you try?" Angela put her arms around Tony's waist and drew closer to him. After so many months together, it still amazed her that she could simply go to him whenever she wanted to. The years of self-denial and secret love had been so difficult, especially when her entire body had ached to touch him. Now, she felt as though she couldn't get enough of him and she frequently put a hand on his arm to make sure he was real. He'd been her emotional anchor for so long but the added dimension of physical love made him so much more now. He was her true partner. And she needed his help with her son.

"Sure, Angela, I'll try", Tony sighed slightly. He didn't quite know how to explain this to Angela. "Angela, Jonathan's different; he's changed. When he was little, it was so easy to bond with him and talk about anything. But ever since California, he's been closed off with me. I can't reach the kid he used to be. You know what I mean?" He met Angela's eyes uncertainly.

"Tony, when he was little, the two of you used to do so many activities together. Maybe you could find an activity he'd like now. You recently mentioned boxing. Why don't you teach him a few moves? Hopefully that'll get him to open up to you", Angela put her hand behind Tony's neck, gently stroking him above his shirt collar. "Tony, if anybody can reach him, it's you. You've been a father figure to him since he was eight years old. He trusts you. Living with Michael changed him so much—I know what you mean about him not being the same kid anymore. And it's not just that he grew so much; he's older, more mature and independent now. I barely recognize my own child these days", she admitted to Tony, her eyes sad. "Maybe it's a good thing; I don't know. He's turning into a man, going to college next year but it . . . it's just happening so fast. I miss my little boy." Angela leaned into Tony, resting her head on his shoulder.

"I know the feeling. One day, Samantha was playing little league and practically overnight, she started wearing goop on her face and dating. It's not easy watching them turn into adults. But, Angela, we did a good job with them. They're great kids and they know what they want to do. I'm so proud of Samantha for wanting to be a nurse. When she helped you in that delivery room, she was in her element. And Jonathan's going to be a doctor. We must have done something right!" He held her tightly and placed a kiss on her head. "Angela, you sure you really want me to teach Jon how to box? You used to hate the sport."

"It's fine, Tony. It'll be good male bonding activity for you two . . . men. I just called my son a man. That feels strange! Tony . . . do you think that he and Rachel . . . you know? Jonathan was quite serious about Rachel. And I know that Michael's supervision was lax; Jonathan would have had plenty of opportunity. Do you think you can find out about his, er, love life? As his mother, I couldn't possibly ask him but I want to know that he's making right decisions. Samantha confided in me and I just hope that Jonathan will confide in you. Ouf, that's not an easy subject for a mother to think about", she exhaled sharply. "You don't have to tell me anything but it would be good for you to know what he's been up to with girls and give him guidance."

"I got it, Angela. But first, let me try to get him to talk about his father over boxing." He gave Angela a quick kiss and headed upstairs quietly, as to not disturb the baby. When he got to the top of the stairs, he could hear the penetrating sounds of acoustic guitar escaping from Jonathan's room. Tony sighed. How many times had they admonished the kids to be quiet, music off when Rose was asleep? He lightly rapped at Jon's bedroom door and let himself in. Jonathan was sitting at his desk, writing, while Sam sat on his bed pouring over the _Amberose & Finch_ catalogue. Guns 'n Roses, _Sweet Child 'O Mine _was playing a bit too loudly and Sam was quietly singing along to herself, "_and pray for the thunder and the rain to quietly pass me by_." She looked up at Tony, vaguely annoyed at being disturbed.

"Music down, please", Tony reminded them. "What are you guys doing . . . uh . . . together?" Tony was surprised. They didn't usually hang out so amiably, like good friends. At least not since they'd been eleven and fourteen. After that, Sam had pushed the younger boy away, embarrassed to be seen playing with him.

Jonathan hit the volume button on his stereo and turned down his favourite power ballad. He and Sam had blasted that song on the beach in California-dancing, singing, kissing and acting silly while laughing their heads off and splashing in the waves with the dogs playing at their feet. That special time in California was immortalized in 'their song'. He looked at Tony and answered him honestly, Mona's advice about open friendship foremost in his mind, "I'm drafting my Harvard application essay for pre-med and Samantha's drooling over the clothes in that catalogue. Sorry the music was too loud—we love Guns 'n Roses." So simple. So honest. So easy.

"Oh." Tony had nothing to say to that. Then, "Sam, shouldn't you leave Jonathan alone when he's busy with college applications?"

Sam opened her mouth to speak but Jon just said, "Samantha's welcome to hang out anytime, Tony. We turned down the music. Is there anything else?" Tony felt as though he was intruding but he wanted to get some time alone with the kid, as Angela had requested. He also missed the close relationship he used to have with Jonathan, before California.

"Jonathan, I was just wondering if you'd be interested in learning how to box? I can teach you a few moves. You've obviously been working out . . . I want to help you continue your fitness routine and, well boxing is really gonna pump you up." Tony felt a bit shy asking, as though the young man might reject him. But his fears were put at ease when he saw a huge smile light up Jonathan's face.

"Boxing, Tony? Yeah, I'd love to! I want to punch something, hard!" Jon thought of Kathleen's face. But he was also happy that Tony wanted to spend time with him. Lately, Tony had been eyeing him suspiciously whenever he got too close to Samantha. His secret love for Tony's daughter was putting a strain on their previously chummy relationship.

"Yeah, well, don't punch _me_ too hard, kid. We'll start with the punching bag out in the garage. I'll show you a boxer's training routine. It'll be fun. How about we start tomorrow morning, early? Before my class. Meet me in the garage at 'Oh seven hundred'." Jon nodded enthusiastically and told Tony he'd be there. Tony left the room feeling much better about their relationship.

He ran back down the stairs to Angela, excited to tell her about his plans with her son. "Hey Angela, he wants to box. He seemed very happy about it too—isn't that great?" Angela nodded and gave Tony an appreciative hug. "Thanks Honey. I knew he'd want to spend time with you. You're the best."

The next morning, bright and early, Tony began training Jonathan in the sport of boxing. First, they jogged around the block a few times to warm up and followed that up with some deep stretches. Tony kept the conversation light; he didn't want to scare the kid away off the bat. They each drank one of Jon's protein shakes, then headed back to the garage to box. Tony showed Jonathan some simple sparring techniques, then watched as Jon repeatedly and violently pummeled the punching bag, his face red and angry.

"Whoa there pal-o-mine; you're gonna make a hole in that bag! Punching relieves stress but I don't want you to hurt your wrists. Let me check your wrist wrap", Tony stopped the boy and looked at his hands to make sure he didn't hurt himself during his first lesson. Jon was breathing hard, sweat dripping down his forehead. His sublimated rage towards Michael and anger at Kathleen's blackmail were disconcertingly powerful emotions. And he was also dealing with severe sexual frustration. His entire body was in need of release; pent up rage, anger, hurt and desire were driving him to distraction. Punching the bag gave him relief. He stopped as per Tony's request and held out his hands to be examined.

"You threw some great punches there," Tony complimented him. "But see, your wrist wrap is too loose and you can get hurt. How 'bout we call it a day for now? I've got to get ready for class but we can do this again tomorrow morning." He looked into Jonathan's eyes, seeking a connection.

"Yeah, Tony. Thanks. That was cool; I enjoyed it." He nodded at Tony, grateful for his interest and time. "Mind if I come out here sometimes and just punch the bag? It's good to let off some steam, you know?" He looked at Tony as though he wanted to say more, but clamped his mouth shut instead. He had so much going on inside of him that he didn't know where to start. But he knew that this felt good—reconnecting with Tony and being guys together. He'd missed it more than he cared to admit.

"Sure kiddo but don't forget to wrap your hands and wear the gloves. It's a great workout—glad you like it. Now, go hit the showers!" Tony patted him on the back and went to get ready for school.

Tony showed up for his Ancient Greek History class and was surprised and extremely relieved to see that Kathleen wasn't there. He was hoping that she'd dropped the class. Her mere presence made him tense and anxious, especially since he was sure that she'd vandalized his Jeep. He still didn't have his Jeep back from the mechanic, so he had driven Sam's car to school, being afraid that Angela's Jaguar might be a target. After class, he breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the yellow car unscathed. But while Tony's guard was going down, Jonathan and Samantha's guards were on high alert. Tonight, Kathleen would be collecting her blackmail money after Jon closed the pool, in exchange for the film in her camera.

Jon had stopped by the bank on his way to the country club and withdrawn the promised two thousand dollars. The money was his, saved up from birthdays, Christmases past and odd jobs he'd had, but his mother could still find out what he was up to on that account. He apprehensively withdrew the money and nervously carried the large amount of cash to work, then stuffed it in his locker. All day during his lifeguarding shift, he kept worrying about it and went to check on it a few times throughout the day to make sure it was still there. Finally, at eight o'clock, Samantha arrived as usual to pick him up. They sat together on the edge of the pool and waited for Kathleen.

"So, you didn't have any trouble getting the money?" Samantha asked him. She'd wanted to give him some of her money but he'd refused.

"No trouble getting it out, but I just hope my mom doesn't check into my account. She opened that account for me a few years ago and can access it. If we do the modelling gig and get paid soon, then I can simply replace the missing amount before my mom notices." He looked at Sam apprehensively, then continued to scan the area for Kathleen. She was late.

"Where is she, already?" Sam checked her watch for the third time in three minutes and sighed loudly. She wanted to get this over with.

"How was work for you, Boo?" Jon tried to distract her.

"It was alright-lots of phone calls and paperwork. And Craig reminded me about our date on Saturday. But you know what? I'll just have an early supper with him and then come home and join you mid-marathon for _Star Trek_. Dad and Angela usually stay out pretty late when they visit the Hendersons." She smiled up at him and held his hand more tightly. "I want some alone time with you, Sweetie."

"Me too. Alone time with you. God, you're so beautiful Sam; I hope this Craig dude doesn't get any ideas", Jon cupped her face, wanting to kiss her but there were club members walking about the grounds and he had to hold back.

"I won't let him. Not going out with him after this. Don't worry; Craig is all about himself, the ultimate narcissist. He's his own first love and any girl is just an accessory to him. It gets boring very fast. If anything, it makes me realize how totally connected we are, Sweetie. You love me so much, for me. You've loved me for such a long time-and forgiven me for being such a horrible, mean teenaged girl to you. All I have to do is look into your eyes and I see it-that love. It's so deep, so intense, so terribly serious. I can get lost in your eyes, you know that?" Sam paused for a moment, her emotions raw. "I've never been loved before." He met her tender gaze, his solemn eyes locked on hers. "I love you, Jon", she whispered against his lips, before kissing him. Then, realizing that they were in public, she quickly scanned their vicinity to make sure none of the Fairfield residents had seen.

"Samantha, you have no idea what you do to me", he admitted, his voice cracking with emotion. "I am completely, utterly, and hopelessly in love with you. Today, Tony was teaching me how to box and we connected, you know? It was great, like old times. But I'm holding back this huge secret and it hurts. I wish we could be together openly, and have Mom and Tony be happy for us!" It's what he wanted most in the world. Well, that and an apology from his father and for Kathleen to get run over by a bus.

"That's not going to happen", Kathleen blurted out, interrupting Jon and Sam's heart to heart.

Samantha jumped up, startled. Kathleen had appeared right behind them, a mocking smile contorting her pretty features.

"What took you so long?" Jon was irate at the untimely interruption and lengthy wait.

"Do you have the money?" Kathleen ignored his question and held out her hand.

"First, you give us the film", he demanded, "then I'll give you the money."

"Fine. Here it is." Kathleen held out the camera's film, neglecting to mention that she'd already developed pictures from it. Her insurance.

Sam took the film, examined it in the light then nodded to Jon.

Jon handed Kathleen the cash, startled by how greedily she grabbed it from him. Her greed angered him; she was taking what rightly didn't belong to her—in essence, stealing it. "I hope you're happy now, Kathleen. Wasn't bad enough that you ruined my mom's birthday party and vandalized Tony's Jeep? You've resorted to blackmailing teenagers-how does that make you feel?"

"Oh, I'm very happy. But this isn't over . . . not yet. You two are disgusting. I really do have a good mind to tell your parents about this . . . sick affair you're having. Would serve you right." Kathleen took pleasure in the looks of outrage that met her words.

"You can't do that!" Samantha yelled at her. "We gave you what you wanted. You have to keep up your end of the bargain. Besides, Dad wouldn't believe you. He hates you." Samantha made her words as venomous as she could to wound Kathleen.

Kathleen blinked in surprise at the cruel words, then drew herself up, gathering strength. "That's why I made copies. For now, two thousand suits me just fine. When I need more money, I'll let you know and you'll cough it up. As long as you keep doing what I tell you, I'll keep quiet. But really, it would be so much more fun to see Tony's face when he realizes what a disgusting little slut you are", she pointed an accusing finger at Samantha. "Oh, don't even think of hitting me! I'll sue you so fast, it'll make your head spin", Kathleen warned Sam when the livid girl started moving towards her aggressively, fists clenched. Kathleen quickly ran off, the thick wad of cash in her bra. She couldn't believe how easy that had been! What gullible kids.

Samantha and Jonathan stared at Kathleen's retreating back in horror. "She . . . she . . . she lied to us!" Sam managed to squeak out, completely incensed. Jon didn't answer her. He was seething with rage. When he finally spoke, his voice was low and controlled, intense anger bubbling just beneath the surface, "She's not going to get away with that. I'm not paying her another red cent. If she thinks she can simply threaten us, steal two thousand dollars and then renege on her deal, then she's got another thing coming." Jon looked at Sam and realized that they couldn't go home in their frazzled state and not expect the third degree again.

"Let's get outta here, Sam. _Terminator 2, Judgement Day_ just opened. Let's go. I'm really in the mood to watch Arnold blow stuff up."

Under the dark cover of the movie theatre, the kids finally found the bit of privacy they were looking for. They were seeking comfort from each other. Sam snuggled against her boyfriend, relishing the closeness of him, enjoying the lingering scent of chlorine and Coppertone lotion. She nuzzled his neck and placed a series of feathery light kisses along his jawbone. She could feel him respond to her as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat, his fingers curled tightly around the chair's armrest. Samantha was moving to his earlobe when he brusquely turned to her and began kissing her roughly. He needed her, like a drug. Stunned by his unexpected move, she froze for a second, but his kisses were undoing her. She responded in like and kissed him back hard, running her hands up beneath his T-shirt, feeling the firmness of his chest. Linda Hamilton and Arnold Schwarzenegger were quickly forgotten, as the kids became lost in their heavy make-out session. Neither of them knew what the movie was about. "Sam, I'm not going to be able to hold out much longer", Jon told her. "Me either", she said before crashing into him for more kisses.

After the movie, both breathless and frustrated, they made their way back to the parking lot, hands clasped tightly. "Sam, I think we just missed a good movie—we should try seeing it again", he panned.

Sam looked thoughtful for a moment before blurting out, "Jon, do you think our love is disgusting? What Kathleen said . . ." Samantha was worrying about her blackmailer's judgements against them.

"No, Boo. Don't even go there. Kathleen is a nutcase and a bitch. We can't help how we feel about each other—I've been in love with you longer than Mom and Tony have even been a couple. How is it wrong that I fell for my housekeeper's daughter before he married my mom? We were together in California before their wedding. We're not even remotely related!"

"Yeah but, we have to sneak around. I hate that!" she cried.

"Sam, if we met five years from now or, if we'd met first, then our parents had met and married each other afterwards, nobody would care. Even grandma says that when we're older and out of the house, if our feelings are permanent, we can build something. That's what I'm hoping for. I'm also hoping that when we do, Mom and Tony will be happy for us.

"Yeah, I doubt that'll happen any time soon", Sam rolled her eyes.

When the kids finally sauntered into the house close to midnight, Tony and Angela were anxiously waiting up for them.

"Where have you two been? We've been worried out of our minds, thinking you were in a car accident!" Angela was both relieved and upset.

Jon and Sam looked at each other, surprised. They'd been so distracted by their own problems that they hadn't given a second thought to simply taking off for the movies.

"We went to see _Terminator 2_; it just opened and we couldn't wait to see it", Jon said.

"Yeah, I'm sorry you guys were worried but the movie started after nine", Sam added.

"Would it have killed you two to call us and tell us that? I had dinner waiting for Jon here!" Tony was upset at all the worry for nothing.

"Sorry Tony. We'll call next time we're late coming home, okay?" Jon apologized.

"You be sure and do that! You missed Ben's call while you were out", Angela informed them. "He wants to set up a photo shoot for head shots and such. You two are expected to be at Ben's studio tomorrow morning at ten. So you'd better get your beauty sleep."

"And Jon, just because you're home late doesn't mean you're off the hook for our boxing lesson tomorrow. Bright and early, in the garage." Tony reminded him. Jon nodded and headed to the kitchen in search of more food. Samantha and Tony followed him.

"So, how was the movie, guys?" Tony asked. "Is it as good as the first _Terminator_?"

Jon nodded as he shoved dinner leftovers into his mouth. Between bites, he told Tony, "I'd be up for seeing it again, Tony. Wanna go together? I won't reveal any spoilers."

"Yeah kiddo, I'd like that." Tony sounded thrilled. He really was making progress with Jonathan. Tomorrow morning, he'd try and get him to open up a bit; maybe talk about Michael.

Over the course of the week, Tony and Jonathan met every morning in the garage for their workout and boxing lesson. They had their routine down pat and had been enjoying the silent camaraderie. Jonathan didn't talk much, preferring to focus on his punches and sparring techniques. He was so serious, trying to master the sport as though he were studying for one of his school exams. But he listened to everything Tony said and sought to please him. On the second day of boxing, Tony got Jon to talk about his lifeguarding job but the kid was barely forthcoming and only provided the barest of facts about his job duties. On the third day, Tony asked Jonathan about his college application letters and found out a bit more about the boy's ambitions and hopes for college. That was a start. Then, Jon told him about the test photo shoot for _Amberose & Finch_ jeans. Ben had taken basic head shots of him and Samantha to start a modelling portfolio for the client. Now, they were merely waiting to hear back. Jon sounded somewhat enthusiastic about that, Tony noted. But overall, the boy's emotions were controlled and concealed. Tony knew there was a volcano of suppressed feelings simmering there; he just needed to tap into it. The punching bag seemed to help—Tony noticed that the kid talked more when he was punching the stuffing out of something. An undercurrent of anger energized Jon when he sparred and punched. Watching him pummel away was like watching a soldier attacking an enemy; it could be intense and violent at times. Jon's technique was flawless and he was strong—Tony couldn't help think that if the punching bag were a human, he wouldn't stand a chance against that rage. So Tony kept digging, trying to learn more about the source of Jon's fury.

On the fourth day, Tony decided to broach the matter of Michael. He treaded carefully, as Angela had warned him to do so. Jon had learned to resent his father from an early age, alternately adoring him or being crushed by his abandonments. It was Angela's belief that Michael's Peruvian Jungle desertion after reconciling with his son had done more psychological and emotional damage than all of his previous neglect. Jon had made himself vulnerable by moving in with his father after being sent away by his mother—the combined rejection from both parents had wounded him deeply. Tony felt badly for him and could only imagine what the boy might be thinking or feeling.

"So, uh, Jonathan, do you miss California?" Tony wasn't quite sure how to begin but this seemed a logical inroad to the topic.

Jon stopped punching for a moment, held the bag in his gloved hands and rested his face on it. "I miss the beach, Tony. I miss surfing and my dogs. It was hardest leaving them. And Max too; he became my best friend while I was out there." Jon felt tears welling behind his eyes and blinked hard, then resumed punching the bag, harder than before.

"I'm sorry about that, kiddo. Um, what about Rachel? You must miss her too?" Tony was hesitant to get to Michael right away. Michael's abandonment had become the proverbial elephant in the room and one needed to circumvent in order to reach that goal.

"It's over with Rachel, Tony. She's with Max now. Makes more sense." Jon's face registered absolutely no hurt or disappointment.

"What?!" Tony was shocked. "Your best friend and your girlfriend got together and you don't mind?"

"No, I wasn't in love with Rachel. She was a nice girl, but I wasn't going to convert to Judaism and Max is already Jewish. We were the _Three Musketeers_, and I knew that Max had deep feelings for Rachel. She's in good hands with him-they work better together", he shrugged. Tony just gaped. He had no idea that it was over with Rachel.

"You didn't say anything. I . . . er, should I tell you that I'm sorry?" Tony was confused.

Jon just shook his head and kept punching the bag.

"So, I assume that you and Rachel, um, didn't have sex?" Tony felt uncomfortable asking but Angela had asked him to be her son's mentor on this topic.

"Really, Tony? What do you want to know? You can tell my mom to relax; I'm still a virgin." Jon punched the bag hard.

"Your mom? No, buddy, I just want you to know that you can talk to me about girls and sex. I don't know if your father talked to you this year but I'm always . . .", before Tony could finish his sentence, Jon rudely cut him off.

"My father? Yeah, my father gave me 'the talk' when I started dating Rachel", Jon began, his voice sarcastic and angry. "He bought me condoms, made sure that Rachel and I had plenty of time alone and he gave me pointers! He was trying to be a cool dad, a buddy, a friend. And it was all crap, Tony!" Jon sat down and angrily tore off his boxing gloves.

"He didn't listen, Tony. He didn't listen when I told him that I had no intention of sleeping with Rachel. She's a good girl, a virtuous girl, the daughter of a police chief, with three very large older brothers. Wasn't going to go there with her but Dad kept pushing me. Do you have any idea how much he made me feel like a loser when I didn't take her to bed?" Jon blinked back tears. It had been humiliating having his dad pushing him to have sex when he wasn't ready for it.

Tony was stunned. Michael had been making his son feel badly for _not_ having sex. How backwards was that? Jon was breathing hard; he really hated Michael right now. Michael who'd abandoned him when he was seven, come back and kicked out Tony and Sam only to stay for two weeks, left again, tried to get custody of him at nine, abandoned that, and then given him two weeks per year and a phone call on his birthday. Jon couldn't keep the tears in check anymore; they simply burst out of him.

"Aw, come here son!" Tony went to put his arm around the teenager. Jon leaned into Tony, embarrassed to be crying but unable to stop the torrent of emotion. Tony waited until the sobs subsided to an occasional sniffle.

"Hey kiddo, you did the right thing in listening to Rachel and your own conscience. Don't let anybody push you into something you're not ready to do! And one day, when you are ready, you can come talk to me." Tony patted the boy on the back.

"Thanks Tony, but right now, I don't much feel like talking anymore. I've got to, er, go to the bathroom. Bye." And with that, Jon simply bolted out of the garage.

The next day, Jon didn't show up for his boxing lesson. It was Saturday anyway, and he wanted to sleep in. Tony was asking him way too many personal questions about California, his dad and sex. He was sure that his mom had put Tony up to at least some of that. But he also trusted Tony and wished that he could talk to him about his current relationship. He definitely needed fatherly advice for that one but ironically, Tony was the last person he could go to. Samantha had informed him only last night that her new cycle had begun and that she'd be starting the Pill in a few days. He treasured that secret and the thought of it made him a tad giddy. But tonight, Samantha was going on a date with Craig while Jon would be sitting at home alone, watching his _Star Trek_ marathon. He simply wanted to weep. He told his mother that he didn't want to babysit alone, so she promised to give the baby to Mona for the evening.

Jon moped about the house all day, upset that his girlfriend was going on a date with that Craig guy. He was mad at his grandma too. He even felt like avoiding Sam and hid out in the garage to punch the bag by himself. Tony's talks had stirred up a lot of the painful feelings he'd been working so hard to push away. Now, they whirled uncomfortably in his psyche, reminding him of every painful and humiliating moment he'd ever had with his father.

Just before leaving for her date, Samantha found Jon in the garage, pummeling the punching bag as though possessed by a crazed warrior.

"Hey!" she called out to him. He stopped and turned to look at her. She was so pretty tonight, wearing a sleeveless, navy and white flowered dress with tiny blue flower-shaped buttons up the front. Her hair had grown out somewhat and was held back by a jeweled hairband.

"You okay, Sweetie?" she asked him. Samantha was worried. Jonathan was taking his boxing a bit too seriously. He hadn't smiled once since the unsuccessful payoff with Kathleen. Jon stopped punching the bag and sat down.

"You're headed out on your date, Sam? You look really nice—couldn't you wear something ugly for Craig?"

"Wouldn't matter, Jon. He's only looking at himself", she leaned into him. "Oooh, you're all sweaty. Kinda sexy. Are your arms getting bigger already?" She felt his biceps appreciatively and kissed his shoulder. Jon blushed at the feminine attention, proud of his growing muscles.

"Well, I guess I'm going to start watching my TV marathon now, while you're wined and dined by successful ego guy", he said grumpily.

"I came to tell you that dinner will be short. Not feeling my best 'cause of cramps—not that I'd tell Craig _that_! But, what I really want to do is lie down on the couch with a hot water bottle, some chocolate and watch _Star Trek_ with you, while popping a few Midol", she laughed.

He smiled at her, a genuine eye-reaching smile. "Boo, it says a lot about our intimacy that you feel comfortable sharing that with me. I'll be waiting for you with chocolate and a hot water bottle. Make it a really short dinner, okay?" She nodded and leaned in for a quick kiss before heading back to the house to meet her date. Jon followed-he wanted to get a look at this infamous Craig.

Craig arrived punctually, in his trendy BMW. When he rang the doorbell, Jonathan insisted on answering the door. He still had one boxing glove on and hadn't wiped away the sweat from his workout. If he wanted to look intimidating, it was working. Tony and Angela ran downstairs when they heard the doorbell too. Everybody was there to meet Craig. Tony wanted to give him the 'once over' and Angela simply wanted to say 'hello'.

"You must be Craig. Come in", Jon motioned for the young man to come in. Craig gulped; Samantha's entire family was at the door to greet him, including his boss, a guarded looking father and a pissed off, sweaty, pumped teenaged boy. While Tony checked him out, Jon stood back and observed Craig. A good dresser, tall, well-built and quite good looking. Angela and Tony made small talk with Craig while he scanned the room for his date.

"Is Samantha ready yet?" Craig asked nervously.

"Here I am", Sam announced as she darted past Craig's entourage. "So, where are we going tonight?"

"Hi Samantha. Made reservations at _La Fleur_", he bragged. "Wasn't easy to get a table on such short notice either."

"_La Fleur_?" she asked. "Wow, that's fancy alright." Sam shot Jon a quick glance and looked longingly at the TV set.

"So, Samantha, do you have a fancier dress perhaps? This is _La Fleur; _a very swanky place. " Craig asked her. He didn't want his date dressed so casually. Was that a cotton/rayon sundress she had on?

"What? You don't think this dress is nice enough for _La Fleur_?" Sam asked, a bit offended. She loved her dress; it was flattering and comfortable.

"I think she looks beautiful in that dress", Jon said. "You should be proud to take her anywhere looking like she does now." He gave Craig a withering stare.

"Yes, she should be fine at _La Fleur_ with that dress", Angela added. She raised an eyebrow in surprise at both Craig's superficiality and Jonathan's quick defense of Sam. "Perhaps you can wear a scarf with it, Sweetheart", Angela offered. She quickly ran upstairs and came back down with a light, gauzy shawl and draped it elegantly over Sam's shoulders. "Perfect!"

"Thanks, Angela", Sam said before giving her a quick hug and exiting with Craig.

"Angela, I don't think I like this guy", Tony said. "He hurt Sam's feelings and didn't even compliment her."

"Yeah, you're right. Craig is a good employee but I guess his good work ethic doesn't necessarily translate to good boyfriend material." She shook her head, "Sam can take care of herself if she finds him rude." And with that, Tony and Angela headed over to the Henderson's party.

Jon settled in for an evening alone at home. He took a shower, put on his PJ's, made popcorn and settled on the couch to watch _Star Trek._ He loved this show but wished that Samantha was here to watch it with him. Or Max—Max was the consummate Trekkie and had introduced Jon to _Star Trek: The Next Generation_. They'd been watching it faithfully, together in California. Jon missed his best friend and Samantha as he watched TV. Just thinking of how rude Craig had been to Sam angered him. Sam looked stunning in that summer dress, what kind of an idiot asked his date to change when she looked that good?

Jon fell asleep in front of the TV and was abruptly woken up a couple of hours later when Sam and Craig returned from their dinner date.

"I'm fine, really I'm fine" Sam was telling Craig. "Just a bit of an upset tummy, you see? I'm sorry I didn't make it to dessert." She was trying to close the front door in his face but he pushed his way in.

"Are you sure you're going to be alright? We had the prix fixe menu, so dessert was already taken care of. Couldn't you have lasted another half hour?" Craig added, somewhat miffed. He'd been embarrassed about leaving before dessert when the chefs were preparing Crepe Suzette.

Sam had but one desire—to slam the door in Craig's face. Her stomach hurt, her head hurt and her fake smile muscles hurt. She'd tried, really tried to be polite but all through dinner, this guy had talked her ear off about all of his wonderful accomplishments, awards and boring accounts. Then, he'd wanted to know more about her becoming a model for _Amberose & Finch._ That appealed to his ego. "Samantha, you'll be making a lot of money. To think, the girl I'm dating will be the face of _Amberose & Finch_. I can't wait to show you off", he'd told her while munching on his Chateaubriand.

At that admission, Samantha had suddenly wanted to bolt. Unfortunately, Craig was her ride home. As far as she was concerned, this insufferable egotist was done. But now, Craig was in the living room staring at the TV. Jon sat up on the couch, groggily wondering why Sam's date was here.

"Well, goodnight Craig. Thanks for a lovely dinner", Sam said. Craig didn't move. He stared at the TV before speaking suddenly. "Hey, that's my favourite _Star Trek_ episode! It's the one with the Tribbles, he exclaimed happily before plopping himself down on the couch beside Jonathan.

Jon and Sam looked at each other in disbelief. Craig was staying!?

Jonathan looked sideways at Craig; unsure what to do next. Samantha went upstairs, not wanting to spend one more second with that buzz kill. She changed into her oldest, most comfortable sweat pants and her dad's old Cardinal's T-shirt. She hugged the too large shirt to herself, and lay down on her bed. Her belly was cramping painfully and she just wanted her date to go home so she could snuggle on the couch and watch TV with Jon.

Jon came upstairs then to check on her. "You alright, Boo?"

"Is he still there?" she whispered. He nodded and shrugged, "Sam, he won't go home! Your boring date is doing very bad Shatner impressions right now. Should we kick him out?"

Samantha giggled despite herself. "Shatner impressions? Yes, he's got to go! Nobody ruins _Star Trek_."

Jon and Sam headed down the stairs together where Craig was sitting on the couch, laughing out loud at the TV.

"Hey Samantha, check out this impression" Craig cleared his throat dramatically, ". . . the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few", he exclaimed in very bad Shatner-esque.

"Didn't Spock say that?" Sam asked.

Craig looked at her, embarrassed. "Uh, maybe. What are you wearing? Does this mean our date is over?" he looked at her tattered loungewear with disdain.

"Yeah, Craig. It's over. Time for you to go home now. I'm not feeling very well." She went to open the door. Jon held back a snicker.

"Well Samantha, I'm sorry you had an upset stomach. Next time, I'll take you to the Russian Tea Room. You'll have to wear an elegant dress for that", he told her.

"Don't think there's going to be a next time, Craig", she told him while holding the door wide open for him.

"Oh, don't say that, Samantha. You're such a pretty girl and now you're going to be a model. We make a very good looking couple, you know?" Before Samantha could react, he kissed her full on the lips. She stood there, shell shocked and horrified. "Can't say no to that?" Craig preened.

Jonathan came up to Craig and pushed him out the door, "She's saying 'no'. Can't you see she's not interested, Craig? Bye now!"

"Hey, hey", Craig tried to come back in but the kids shut the door in his face.

The kids looked at each other and burst out laughing. "Was that guy for real? I can't believe Mona thought he was a good catch. How superficial of her!" Samantha shuddered and wiped her mouth.

"Come on, Boo. Get comfy on the couch. I'll fill you a hot water bottle and make you a chocolate sundae with Midol. Sound good?" Samantha nodded gratefully.

The kids settled together on the couch, threw an old blanket over themselves and got lost in the world of the _Enterprise_.

Tony and Angela came home from the Henderson's a couple of hours later, surprised at seeing the kids so comfy together on the couch.

"Samantha, you're home already? How was your date?" Angela asked her.

"Awful, Angela. I don't want to go out with him again—he's rude, boring and . . ."

". . . and doesn't know when to leave! Plus, he makes bad Shatner impressions." Jon added. "He ambushed Sam with a kiss. The guy is a complete jerk."

"Oh, he was that bad?" Angela was surprised. Craig was such a nice employee.

"Yes!" both kids replied simultaneously.

"Sam, do you need a warm-up on your water bottle?" Jon asked her suddenly. He felt that it had cooled off quite a bit.

"Aw, thanks" she smiled at him.

"Water bottle? You feeling okay Sam?" Tony asked. He noticed the bottle of Midol on the coffee table alongside the empty chocolate wrappers and ice-cream bowls.

"Fine, Dad", she replied as she gratefully took the refilled hot water bottle from Jon and applied it to her stomach.

Angela sat on the blue armchair beside the couch. "Cramps?" she whispered to Sam. Sam nodded and explained that Craig had been really rude about her cutting the date short because of her stomach ache.

"I'm sorry you had a bad date, Sam. Just hope you and Craig can get along at work."

"Don't worry, Angela. He's alright to work with. Did you two have fun at the Henderson's?" Sam turned to Angela for a bit of conversation, keeping her voice low because Jon was following the show attentively.

"It's always nice to see them. Well, don't you think you ought to get to bed soon? It's so late!"

"Few more episodes of _Star Trek_ to go. We'll be staying up late to watch them", she said.

"Oh, well isn't that cozy. I didn't know you were so much into _Star Trek_." Angela was a bit puzzled.

"Yeah, it's great. Jonathan and Max got me into it while we were in California. It's always fun watching a silly marathon, don't you think?" Sam smiled.

"If you say so. I'm going to get Rose from Mother's now. Enjoy your marathon. Good night." Angela kissed her on the head and squeezed Jon's shoulder.

Tony looked at the kids, feeling deep love for both of them. While he was happy that they were getting along, the scene before him denoted intimacy, closeness and ease. Jon looked relaxed and happy as he watched the TV. His action of refilling Sam's hot water bottle was certainly friendly and very personal. He wished the kids goodnight and headed upstairs. Angela joined him a few moments later after transferring Rose to her crib.

Upstairs in their room, Tony and Angela mused about the kids.

"Jonathan and Samantha are getting along so nicely now", Angela said as she brushed out her hair.

"Yeah, they seemed really . . . close just now", Tony added.

"And Tony, Jonathan seems a bit less stressed too. Those boxing lessons have been wonderful for him—it's so nice to see you two connecting again." She smiled at her husband and gave him a hug.

"He's a great kid, Angela. Has a lot of feelings to work through though. Sometimes I feel as though he might explode. He's definitely got a lot of anger towards his father. And there's other stuff going on with him—but I don't know what it is. I'm not going to break a confidence but suffice it to say that Michael was giving him terrible advice and he really hurt Jonathan a lot." Tony held Angela more tightly.

"Michael is done hurting him!" Angela stated rather emphatically. She hadn't been able to reach Michael despite her numerous attempts. She'd tried with the company he worked for, his former colleagues and even his credit card company. It was as though the man had simply vanished off the face of the earth. As if on cue, the phone rang suddenly. It was almost eleven o'clock; they weren't used to receiving phone calls at this hour.

Angela picked up the phone. Long distance static and an agitated sounding man greeted her.

"Mrs. Micelli?" he asked.

"Speaking. Who is this?" Angela wondered who was calling her.

"This is Raul Estevez from National Geographic. You've made several inquiries about Michael Bower and your calls have been forwarded to me. I'm calling from Peru", he said in heavily accented English.

"Oh yes! I have been looking for him. He's my son's father. Have you found him?" Angela was ready to give Michael a piece of her mind!

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Micelli. I'm very sorry to inform you . . . Mr. Bower is dead. We found his body today; he's been dead for weeks…"


	26. Chapter 26, Summer of 1991, part 2

**Chapter 26**

Tony watched as his wife turned pale beneath her early summer tan. Angela hung up the phone and collapsed onto the bed in shock.

"Angela? What's wrong? Who was that?" Tony asked her in alarm.

"Man from Peru . . . Tony, Michael is dead", she whispered in horror, still unable to believe it herself.

"Dead? What? Angela, what happened?" The unexpected news gave Tony a jolt.

Angela just stared at Tony numbly, unable to form a coherent sentence. Tony brought her a glass of water from the bathroom; he'd heard that a glass of water helps with shock. He put the glass into her trembling hands and encouraged her to take a few sips. She nodded at him when she was ready to speak.

"Apparently, he slid down a muddy precipice and broke his legs. It must have happened soon after he arrived there. They'd been looking for him for quite some time because he hadn't reported in, but his body was hidden in mud and leaves", she hesitated for a moment, then looked up at him with tear-filled eyes. "Tony, the worst part is that his injuries alone couldn't have caused his death. He must have died of dehydration, being unable to move. It would have been slow and horrible . . ." she choked, tears spilling down her face.

"That's awful. I'm so sorry, Angela, shhhhh", Tony pulled her into a hug and held her tightly against him while she cried.

"Why am I crying so hard? I was angry at him, Tony?!" Angela sobbed, feeling confused by the grief that engulfed her now.

"Angela, what you're feeling is normal. He was Jonathan's father and you were married to him for nearly ten years. He died a terrible death—you're in shock and grieving" Tony reassured her while he continued to rub her back.

"Oh no. Tony, how am I going to tell Jonathan? He's going to be devastated. I . . . I can't!"

"Angela, listen to me-yes, you're going to tell him and it's going to be absolutely horrible. He'll take the news badly and, yes, he'll be devastated. But we'll all be there for him to help him heal. We'll all help him through, Angela. Okay?" Tony looked into her eyes and placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

"But Tony, how? How did you do it when Marie died?" Angela hiccupped against Tony's neck, squeezing him hard.

Tony took a deep breath. The pain of Marie's death had faded over time but recalling the look on Samantha's face during her mother's funeral was a very painful memory. The little girl had only been eight when her mother had died and Tony had had to tell her that her mommy was never coming home again. The year Marie got sick and died was the worst in Tony's life. He'd also injured his shoulder barely a year after his wife's death and lost his entire world—his beloved wife and his promising baseball career. The only thing that had finally pulled him out of his deep grief and despair was the love of his little girl and her dependence on him. He held Angela closely, trying to come up with words of comfort and reassurance.

"Angela, when Marie died, she was so young; only twenty-seven. I'm glad we married at eighteen because even though we were only kids, we had those nine years together and she gave me Samantha. Now, years later, I remember the positive things; the joy, our time together, our love, our baby and I cherish those memories. But at the time, I was angry and bitter, Angela. Ovarian cancer—we didn't even know she was sick until it had already spread. It's a terrible death. Her mother died of the exact same thing so when she found out she was sick, she knew. She knew because she'd seen it ravage her mother when she was a little girl. She remembered growing up without a mother and the horror of knowing that she had to leave Sam too soon . . . it was tragic, Angela. She knew for months that she was dying. We tried to make the most of it but Sam was too young to understand why her mother kept taking photos and making mementos. When Marie had to go into Palliative Care at the hospital, I brought Sam to visit her every day, but we were already getting a taste of life without her. She was sick for a total of six months and then one night, she slipped away in her sleep. Sam knew her mommy was going to heaven—I'd taken her to the priest for a few talks about it. But, she was still surprised when Marie didn't come home. And at the funeral, she was devastated, Angela. That's when the reality hit her." Tony sniffled into Angela's hair. The tragic memories and the shock of Michael's death were hitting him at the same time.

"Tony, that's just so sad. I can't imagine how an eight year old would even deal with that. Jonathan is older and not as close to Michael but he's dealing with so much anger towards him. He hasn't resolved any of it and now Michael is dead and he can't even confront him!" Angela cried.

"Angela, when Marie died, it wasn't a surprise. We were expecting it. Michael's death is a complete shock. Jonathan is going to have a hard time with it. It's late, maybe you should wait until morning so he can at least get a good night's sleep first. We'll tell him together tomorrow." Tony grasped her hand in support and looked deeply into her eyes, letting her know that he was going to be there every step of the way.

Angela thought for a moment before saying, "You're right. I'll tell him tomorrow. If I tell him right now, he won't sleep all night and he'll be dealing with exhaustion on top of his grief. But Tony, I learned one thing that might comfort him. Michael wasn't intending to be away long-the man on the phone told me it was supposed to be a short assignment. He wasn't abandoning Jonathan. I'll make some more calls tomorrow and find out as much as I can about the situation before I tell my son."

"That's a good idea. And, Angela, it also might be a comfort for Jonathan to know that his dad wanted him for those last months of his life. It's a blessing in disguise that we sent him to live with Michael—at least he got to know his father, one on one for a bit. I know he really enjoyed the surfing . . . he has solid memories of Michael now, from all those months in California. I hope those memories will help him with his grief." Tony tucked Angela in and spooned himself around her, to keep her calm. "Do you want a sleeping pill tonight?" he asked her. She nodded against him and waited while Tony brought her the tablet. She took it gratefully and leaned back against his warm, comforting body to fall asleep.

Blissfully unaware that his father was dead, Jonathan woke up bright and early Sunday morning and went for a run. The entire household was asleep, so he decided to do the workout and boxing routine on his own. He was revved and energized despite staying up late to watch the _Star Trek_ marathon to its very end with Sam. She'd conked out on the couch beside him while he'd continued to watch, mesmerized by the fantasy science fiction world.

He was feeling better about things. Sam wouldn't go on any more dates with Craig; that was a relief. Not that he had much to worry about from that bozo. And Ben had scheduled a real photo shoot for later in the week. The head shots had been heartily approved by both _Pierce Advertising_ and _Amberose & Finch_. Ben was enthusiastic and informed them that they'd be paid right away for their photo shoots. He'd have more than two thousand dollars before the end of the week to replace Kathleen's blackmail money. As for Kathleen herself, Jon tried not to worry. Even though she was planning on extorting more money from him, he knew he could push back. He wasn't going to let that crazy woman threaten him anymore.

Jon happily pummeled the punching bag, looking forward to Tony's Sunday brunch. His stomach was rumbling with hunger and he was just about to head back to the house when Tony appeared in the garage.

"Hi Tony, I'm finishing up my workout. You're late!" Jon jokingly admonished him.

Tony looked at Jon, knowing that the young man's world was about to come crashing down around him. He hesitated for a moment, then spoke softly, "Jon, you need to come into the house. Your mother and I have to talk to you. It's serious."

Jon's heart started hammering in his chest. Did they know about him and Samantha? Tony looked so sombre and upset. "What's wrong, Tony?" Jon swallowed hard, his mouth suddenly feeling dry.

"Not here, kiddo. Let's go to the house", Tony gently ushered Jonathan from the garage to the kitchen door, not saying a word. He and Angela had to do this right to keep the trauma at a minimum. Mona and Samantha were already waiting in the kitchen with Angela. As she'd stated the night before, Angela had made a few phone calls, including one to Michael's lawyer. She had more information for her son now.

Jon and Tony entered the kitchen; the women were waiting for them around the table. Angela had already told Sam and Mona about Michael. She needed their support for telling her son. Jon had no idea what was going on but when he saw his mother's red eyes and Sam's sad expression, he truly feared that they were onto him and Sam. He looked at the door, wishing he could bolt but Tony pulled out a chair for him and poured him a glass of juice.

Angela took a deep breath to fortify herself and sat beside Jon. It was obvious that she'd been crying.

"Mom? What's the matter?" Jon was anxious.

"Sweetheart, first of all I want to tell you that your father did not abandon you. He fully intended to return home before your birthday", Angela took another deep breath to quell the sob that was rising in her chest at the thought of the pain her son was facing.

"He did? Then . . . why didn't he?" Jon was confused. So, this wasn't about him and Sam?

"Jonathan, he couldn't. He planned to though—he even had a car put aside for your birthday. His lawyer told me. Oh God. . .", Angela paused again and took a sip of juice. This was the hardest conversation she'd ever had to have. She looked up at Tony pleadingly.

Samantha knew the devastating blow was about to be delivered. She got out of her chair and stood right behind Jon, her hands on his shoulders. Jon looked back at her; she had tears in her eyes too. He suddenly felt his stomach drop. Even Grandma looked solemn and was biting her lip.

Tony continued where Angela had left off. "Jonathan, your father had an accident during his expedition in Peru. He fell down an escarpment; it was a mudslide. There was nothing he could do. He . . . um . . . he was killed by that fall. They only just found his body. I'm so sorry." Tony went to comfort Jon but he jerked backwards. This news made no sense at all. His dad was dead?

"No!" he yelled. "No, he can't be dead. We weren't finished, he and I! It must be a mistake. You're wrong. They're wrong!" he blurted out angrily. He could feel Sam's hands digging into his shoulders like talons. He shrugged her off and stood up. Samantha and Angela were trying to talk to him, to touch him, but he bolted out of the kitchen, back to the refuge of the garage. This was insane; a few minutes ago he'd been punching his bag and everything was fine. Now, his dad was dead? His mind couldn't process any of it. He punched the bag without bothering to put the boxing gloves on. It hurt. It was good that it hurt; he punched harder. It was the only thing he could feel. The shock of it had stunned him but his eyes were dry; he couldn't even muster a tear for his dear old dad.

Tony stood at the garage door watching him. "You're going to hurt your hands. Jonathan stop, please!"

But Jon ignored him and punched the bag again and again, then banged his head against it. He still couldn't cry. Nothing would come out.

"I know you've just had a shock. Come here—talk to me kid!" Tony pleaded with him while forcefully pulling him away from the punching bag. "It's okay to cry, you know?"

"I can't cry, Tony. Please, just leave me alone." Jonathan didn't want to be comforted. He didn't want to talk and he couldn't cry. So, he went back to the house and shut himself up in his room. He ignored the knocks at his door and just yelled out that he wanted to be left alone.

One at a time, they all tried to talk to Jonathan but he sent them away. He refused food at the door and sulked in his room, alone.

The next morning was Monday and Jon got up and ready for work. Tony was surprised to see him in the kitchen wearing his lifeguard shirt.

"You don't have to go to work, Jon. It's alright to take the week off to grieve", he told the boy.

"No, I want to go to work. It's either that or sitting up in my room all day imagining every conversation I didn't have with my father." Jon still hadn't been able to shed a tear; he felt numb. In fact, he felt sure that a mistake had been made and that his dad would be phoning soon to laugh about it with him.

So Jon went to work and acted as though nothing had happened. He kept to himself and went about his routine as though it could save him from his grief. If he kept doing all the normal things he always did, then this huge tragedy wouldn't be true. He'd lived for years at a time with his father far away—he could simply pretend that Michael was in California or off on an adventure. And that's what he did; he denied it, shoved it away and refused to deal with his loss.

Angela tried to talk to her son; his profound denial about his father's death worried her. When she'd lost her own father at fourteen, she'd felt the grief instantly and cried non-stop for days. To see her son's dry eyes while he went about his business was disconcerting. Jonathan was even stating that a mistake had been made—that Michael would be too smart to fall down a mudslide. It must have been somebody else, he assured his mother. But Angela knew it was Michael. They'd checked the body against his dental records and found his ID on the body as well.

"Jonathan, your father is dead. They confirmed that the body was his. You have to deal with this, Sweetheart. If you want, I can make an appointment with Dr. Bellows. She's a very nice psychiatrist and she's helped me through some difficult times." Angela sat on his bed, trying to reach him.

"A psychiatrist, Mom? I'm not crazy! I need to process it in my own way, okay?!" Jon paused for a moment and took a deep breath. He looked away from his mother, wishing she'd go away. But Angela stayed and continued to speak.

"I want to plan a memorial service for him, Jonathan. We're his next of kin and they've sent us his ashes. I think your father would want them scattered in a beautiful place. As his son, that honor should go to you. You need to acknowledge your grief because only then will you be able to heal from your terrible loss." She put her arm around him but he remained as unyielding as concrete. He turned to look at her, his face expressionless. "Plan whatever you want, Mom. I'd like to be alone now", he dismissed her and turned up his music to drown her out.

Feeling utterly defeated, Angela headed back downstairs where the others were waiting for her. She shook her head and sighed deeply. "I can't reach him. He's in complete denial about the entire thing. He won't see the psychiatrist and he doesn't care about a memorial service. I don't know what to do."

Mona looked at Samantha and addressed the girl directly, "Sam, have you tried? You understand the grief of losing a parent. Surely, you of all people can reach him."

Sam looked down at her lap and spoke quietly, "I tried Mona. He's been pushing me away this week. When I bring up Michael's death, he . . . he changes the subject. He wants to do the _Amberose & Finch_ photo shoot tomorrow. And he's been to work every day this week—I don't get it!" she cried. She hastily wiped a tear away, willing herself not to cry. Watching him suffer like this was a torment onto itself. She just wanted to comfort him but he wouldn't let her. She'd tried to hug and kiss him but he'd simply stood there, like a statue, unmoving and cold. She knew that if he let himself feel something, he'd lose it. And he was desperately trying to maintain control over his emotions; pushing the grief down further and further. It was bound to explode eventually and Sam just hoped it wouldn't overwhelm him. She secretly kept an eye on him, giving him the respectful distance he required.

Tony added his own concerns to the conversation, "He's been continuing his boxing routine everyday but doesn't want me there anymore. He says he'd rather do it alone. I was hoping that his emotions would come out while he pummeled the bag but there's nothing. He's like an automaton, just punching away. I haven't seen him cry, laugh or smile or anything . . . I'm worried, Angela!"

"Well, I think we should plan the memorial service and just do it. Maybe it'll jog something inside of him. And if he wants to do his boxing, go to work and then a photo shoot, let him. It's his way of dealing with it." Mona told the others.

"If he doesn't react to the memorial service, then I'm taking him to see Dr. Bellows whether he likes it or not!" Angela stated. She was losing sleep over seeing her son in this state. "Michael's lawyer has also spoken with me about Jonathan's inheritance. How do I bring that up, when he hasn't even grieved yet? Michael left him everything; the house, his investments, all he had at the bank . . ." Angela was a bit overwhelmed with the responsibilities awaiting her. She needed to put the beach house up for sale and put the money in a trust fund for her son. He needed a good financial adviser to help him invest and spend wisely. There was over three million dollars in total for her son; it was a huge responsibility.

The family members discussed the memorial service sans Jonathan. They took out old photo albums and selected the best ones of Michael, focusing on the pictures of him together with his son. Angela booked the funeral home and informed the people Michael had known when he lived in Connecticut. Unfortunately, Michael didn't have any other family. His parents had died before Jonathan was even born and he had been an only child. Angela pondered his lack of family connection and wondered if that's what had made her ex-husband such a loner, in search of adventure. The memorial service was planned for the following Saturday, the day after the kids' _Amberose & Finch_ photo shoot. Angela hoped that Jonathan would cancel the shoot but he insisted on going, as though everything was perfectly normal. Mona encouraged her to let her son do what he needed to do and leave him alone. She kept reassuring her daughter that the grief would eventually come out and that the memorial service would probably be the appropriate trigger, with all of the family there to support him.

On the day of the photo shoot, the kids headed out early with Ben. He had selected a beach location on Long Island for the day. There, they'd be meeting with Mr. Pierce of _Pierce Advertising_ as he supervised the shoot. As the owner of a rival agency, Angela was not invited to attend. Tony wanted to come but Sam begged him not to; she reminded him of his overbearing, overprotective presence the last time she'd modelled. She assured him that Ben was quite capable of looking out for them; he was Angela's friend after all.

In the car, on the way to the shoot, Jon sat quietly, looking out of the window. His thoughts were disjointed; he filled his mind with useless minutia, song lyrics, and trivia to crowd out the painful memories that kept surfacing. It was becoming harder and harder to ignore the still, small voice of a boy missing his dad. The last thing he wanted to think about was the memorial service tomorrow. He just needed to get through this photo shoot and then he could hide in his room again. Samantha grasped his hand; his fingers cold in her warm ones. He looked over at her, unable to react. Sublimating every single thought about his father and their accompanying emotions meant that he'd turned off a switch inside of himself and he couldn't even respond to Sam.

The beach location was stunning; it was an overcast, windy day and the waves were high. Seagulls screeched loudly overhead, as the breeze carried a strong scent of salty air. For a moment, Jon felt as though he was back in California. He had a sudden urge to get his surfboard and call his dad down to the beach. He felt a lump in his throat and swallowed hard.

Make-up and wardrobe people came and surrounded the kids, taking them to a makeshift tent to get ready. They were to model the new line of "Raw Jeans", made with tough, artificially aged denim. They were all the rage, worn low down on the hips, the hems frayed and tattered. When they were ready, they were directed to stand ankle deep in the waves. The jeans were paired with simple white undershirts but Sam felt self-conscious; her breasts were showing through the thin material. Lighting people set the ocean stage and Ben directed the kids. They were to pretend to dance in the surf, then pose as though they simply loved their jeans.

Mr. Pierce liked the look of these two teenagers; they were perfect for this line of jeans. The boy tall and golden, the petite girl, fiery and elegant-they contrasted dramatically with each other. But he needed the boy to loosen up a bit; the kid behaved like a block of granite and the girl seemed apprehensive. Ben tried to get them to relax and pose as they had for the wedding pictures but they weren't quite themselves today. After a series of stiff, unnatural looking photos, Ben sighed deeply and stopped shooting for a moment.

"This isn't working, Ben", Mr. Pierce chided the photographer. "You told me they were naturals. What the hell is this?"

Jon stepped more deeply into the waves, feeling engulfed by the water lapping around his knees. His heart ached for years lost and he suddenly missed California terribly. The secure lock on his heart opened by a breath, and the grief that he'd been holding back all week started seeping out like blood from a wound. He could vaguely hear Ben's voice telling him to face this way and that; to look at Sam, to smile, to showcase the jeans . . . but it all became a distant buzz in the background, watery noise against the powerful tide of emotions swelling within him. The first tear surprised him and he was even more stunned by the ones following rapidly behind it.

"Take five! Take five" Ben shouted. "Kid, what's the matter?" The boy was suddenly bawling his eyes out and Ben had no idea why. Mr. Pierce was shouting something and the girl was checking to see if the boy was alright. She yelled back at Ben, "His father just died. This was too soon for him. I'm sorry."

Sam understood. It was the beach that had triggered his grief. Finally. Right in the middle of an important photo shoot for _Amberose & Finch_ jeans, Jonathan Bower broke down. He ran into the waves, ignoring the shouts of the photo shoot people safely on shore. He kept running, but it was a shallow beach and he felt as though he was running forever to get absolutely nowhere. Samantha ran after him, desperate to comfort him. His movements were chaotic and reckless as he ran and tumbled, crying hard. She reached him and helped him up. "Oh Sweetie", she gently wiped the tears from his face with her thumbs. He clung to her, the agony of his loss pouring out of his entire body.

Mr. Pierce observed the powerful display of emotions, as the girl comforted the boy. "Shoot this Ben! Now! Get in there . . . use a zoom . . . this is perfect!" Ben wasn't sure if he should be intruding on such a personal moment but Mr. Pierce was the boss so he wielded his camera and started capturing the boy's pure anguish while Mr. Pierce held back the lighting director from following. He wanted natural light and no disruptions for the couple. Unbeknownst to them, they were giving him better shots than he could have hoped for. The girl was kissing the tears off of the boy's face and crying herself. Ben snapped the pain and the love. They were hugging; the boy clinging to the girl as though his very survival depended upon her. Jon sought solace in Sam's hair—he buried his face there and hid. Neither kid was even remotely aware of Ben's camera. But Ben kept shooting the entire thing, feeling somewhat guilty, yet also proud of the exceptional shots he was getting.

Sam cupped Jon's face in her hands and looked up into his eyes. "You're going to heal. This is the first step and I'm going to be here for you. I promise. I won't let you go", she whispered to him as she pressed her forehead against his and stroked his neck. She tenderly kissed his cheek while holding his face; her eyes full of compassion and affection. Ben got a bit closer, and captured the consoling kiss. The boy reacted to the kiss and crushed the girl against him, kissing her mouth through his sobs. Ben felt tears well in his own eyes as he intruded with his camera once again and captured the juxtaposition of raw grief and tender love. It was tragic yet beautiful. The kids' bodies were melded together and the jeans were perfectly showcased from the side. Textbook.

When the boy and girl turned around to return to shore, hands clasped tightly, Ben quickly scooted out of their way and told him he was bringing them back home. He had what he needed, after all. His models had signed a release form and they were being well paid for this.

Mr. Pierce was delighted. His "Raw Jeans" line campaign would be simple. The kids' naked emotions conveyed exactly what he wanted to express. He'd find a way to work it into the flawless tagline but the concept was there, coalescing in his creative mind. "_The rawness of Raw Jeans by Amberose & Finch . . . _or_ Jeans so Raw, you'll need comfort." _He didn't know exactly yet; that's why he hired all those jingle makers but he had the images and they were exquisite.

Ben led the kids to the car after they'd changed. He presented them with generous cheques and thanked them for the shoot. Samantha was confused. "But Mr. Pierce didn't like the pictures. Don't you need to re-shoot this? When Jon is feeling better, of course", she added.

Ben was embarrassed by his subterfuge but simply reassured her, "No, I got some good shots. It's fine. Now, let's get this poor kid home before he floods my car with his tears." Ben looked over at Jon, who was now huddled in the corner of the back seat, shaking from his emotional outburst. Sam had a protective hand around his shoulder and wasn't letting go of him for an instant-he was shattered and needed her strength.

When they arrived home, Sam helped Jon into the house, supporting him emotionally and physically. He'd been crying for two hours straight and was drained of energy. Tony and Angela were waiting for them to hear news of the shoot. When Angela saw her son, she felt deep relief. The first moments of grief were the most intense but once he surmounted that, he'd be able to deal with his loss. Finally.

"The damn burst, Angela", Samantha told her. "Right in the middle of the photo shoot. I think it was the beach that did it", she said as Jon sank onto the couch, pulling her down with him. He wouldn't let go of her hand. Samantha couldn't move; she was glued to him. She gently rubbed his back and told him she needed to get up. Angela came and took her place while Sam stretched and made herself a snack. This emotionally wrenching day was exhausting. Sam returned to the living room with cheese and crackers and offered some to Jon but he didn't want any.

"I feel so guilty", he cried. "I believed the worst about my dad but he was trying. How could I be such an ass for assuming bad things about him when he just wanted to come home to me? I was mad at him but he was already dead!" A fresh torrent of tears began anew as Jon tormented himself with his own thoughts. Tony sat on his other side and held the boy tightly. Angela grasped her son's hand and sought to reassure him.

"Sweetheart, we all thought that Michael had abandoned you—it was his pattern. We were wrong but in the end, isn't that a good thing? He had changed and he wanted to spend time with you. He lived the last months of his life with you! That was a gift to both of you, so cherish the time you had together." She kissed his head and enveloped him in her arms so that Jon was sandwiched between her and Tony.

Angela and Tony comforted the teen as he cried against them. Jon was surrounded; everybody took turns sitting beside him and listening as he dealt with his anger, guilt and sorrow. The next day was the memorial and they wanted him to be able to participate and have closure. Jon looked at the photos of his dad; one of Michael holding him as a newborn, another of him as a towheaded toddler perched on his father's shoulders, his first Halloween , Christmas, nursery school. . . he reeled at the tide of memories and looked for Samantha. He needed her; he'd pushed her away all week but now he wanted her, desperately.

"Where's Sam?" he asked suddenly, shoving the photos off of his lap.

"She had to make a few phone calls about the memorial tomorrow; she's upstairs calling Mrs. R . . ." Tony informed him.

"Oh, I need to talk to her. I need Sam!" Dazed, Jon stood up, wanting his girlfriend more than anything in the world. He went in search of her and found her upstairs on the little bench, on the phone. She looked up at him, startled whilst continuing her conversation, "Yes, Mrs. Rossini, that's very kind of you. Yes, I'll see you tomorrow then. Jonathan will be happy to see you there. Uh no, you don't need to bring food . . . okay, bye."

"Boo", he uttered softly. She stood up and stepped into his open arms. "I'm sorry I pushed you away this week. It was too hard and you melt my heart", he told her. "I couldn't deal with any of it but I need you now, Sam." He looked at her in desperation, running his fingers through her hair. She squeezed him back and kissed him, then frantically looked down the staircase to make sure nobody was coming. "Come on, let's go downstairs before they come looking for us. You need to eat something." She grabbed his hand and led him to the kitchen.

That evening, Tony and Angela were wondering what to do about Jonathan. "Tony, he's having such a hard time. Maybe we should take turns sitting up with him", Angela suggested to her husband as they were getting ready for bed.

"Angela, I already told him that if he needs to talk during the night, to come and wake us. I offered him a sleeping pill but he didn't want it."

"Oh Tony, I can hear him crying. How is he supposed to sleep tonight?" She got out of their room and went to her son's room, tapping at the door. "Come in", he called out. Jon wiped his eyes when he saw his mother.

Angela sat beside him, "Do you want me to sit up with you?" she asked him. He shook his head and told her he wanted to be alone. "Okay Jonathan, but as Tony told you, if you need us during the night, please come and get us", she reminded him before kissing him goodnight. He hugged his mother tightly and watched her leave. He didn't want to be alone but he didn't want to have Mom or Tony sitting up with him either. He wanted Samantha. He waited for a bit, his sobs subsiding to sniffles. He listened and waited and then found his courage. He stood up and quietly opened his door to go to Sam's room but she was already there in the hall, coming to him.

"Sam?" he whispered, as he tugged her arm and pulled her into his room. "What are you doing?"

"I was coming to you, to see if you're alright. I could hear you crying earlier", she said.

"And I was coming to you", he admitted. Suddenly shy, he looked down at his feet. "Sam? Did you start taking the Pill yet?" he asked hopefully while still looking down.

"Oh. Is that why you were coming to me?" she hesitated. "I thought you needed comfort", she said as she pulled him into a hug. "But yes, I did start it this week." They both felt somewhat awkward then, their unspoken desire hanging over them.

He hugged her back instead and said "Never mind, Sam" and pulled her towards the bed. "Just lie down with me; I don't want to be alone." She followed him and got underneath the light blankets with him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"How are you doing, Sweetie? I know you had a rough day of it" she whispered to him. They were being careful to be very quiet. But tears of grief weren't quiet by nature and a loud sob escaped him.

"Sam, I feel terrible", he cried while burying his face into her breasts. She stroked his head and consoled him while he poured out his anguish. She held him tightly as a fresh wave of tears took hold of him; she rode it out with him, kissing his face, wiping his tears and whispering words of comfort. When he couldn't cry anymore, they clung to each other in silence.

"You should try and get some sleep", she said while gently caressing his face. She leaned in to kiss him goodnight but when she began to pull away, he kissed her back, again and again and again. His mouth was on hers, then on her neck. His desperate need for comfort overwhelmed him and he wanted more of her. She couldn't deny him this, not after what he'd been through. She helped him as he pushed her nightgown out of the way and flung it to the ground, clinging to him tightly. His hands and his mouth travelled all over her body and she instantly responded to his touch. Their coupling was swift and explosive, powered by grief, love and passion.

When it was over, he held her against him and stroked her hair. The intense release allowed him to finally go to sleep, his body and emotions both spent. She leaned back into him, too lethargic to return to her own bed. She relished the feel of his warm arms around her. It hadn't been like that with Matt; in fact until now, she hadn't even experienced certain things at all. She'd never known sexual satisfaction with Matt but now, she was aglow with pleasure and love. She drifted off in his arms.

The early morning sun shone through the small opening of Jon's curtain and woke Sam up. She looked around disoriented then remembered the events of the previous night. Oh. That. She disentangled herself from Jon's arms; he was still fast asleep. Good, he needed his rest after the emotional wringer he'd been though. Not to mention the physical exertion they'd shared, she thought while a blush crept up her cheeks. Sam stood up, careful not to wake him and found her nightgown on the floor, near Jon's desk. She hastily put it on, not realizing it was inside out. Then, she quietly tiptoed towards the door being extremely careful with the doorknob. She exited backwards, making no noise as she quietly closed the door.

"Sam?" Tony was exiting his room at the same time as his daughter was sneaking out of Jon's room.

"Dad!" Sam turned around to face her father, nightgown inside out, cheeks flushed.

Tony froze, unable to comprehend what he was seeing. "Sam? What were you doing in Jon's room?" He awaited her reply, tense and apprehensive.

"I heard him crying last night and wanted to make sure he was okay . . ." she said truthfully.

"That was last night. It's seven in the morning!" He was afraid to ask, especially because the tag on Sam's nightgown was on the outside. Sam looked up at Tony and lied through her teeth, "Dad, I waited for him to fall asleep and fell asleep myself. He needed me, um, comfort, last night. He didn't want to be alone." She willed her dad to leave it at that. They couldn't deal with this today, not on the day of Michael's memorial service. Before Tony could answer her, she quickly ran into the bathroom. When she exited, he was gone. She breathed a small sigh of relief but the look in Tony's eyes had said it all; shock and confusion. It was going to be a hell of a day.


	27. Chapter 27,Summer 1991, part 3

**Chapter 27**

Tony was in the kitchen, muttering to himself in Italian while loudly making breakfast; the insistent clanging of angry pots and pans competing with his unintelligible diatribe. Frying pan . . . slam. Coffee maker . . .bang . . . clang. Eggs . . . crack . . . followed by "damn" and a string of Italian curses. Angela entered the kitchen with Rose and watched as her husband cleaned up broken eggs while swearing in another language.

"Tony? You alright?" She tilted her head sideways trying to see what he was doing.

Tony stood up and held out the soggy paper towels full of egg goop for her to see. "No, Angela, I just dropped three eggs", he said sarcastically.

"Whoa, Tony. What's up with you this morning? Get up on the wrong side of the bed?" Angela wasn't used to cranky Tony and this was uber-cranky-Tony. She unconsciously shielded Rose against his foul mood and sat down at the kitchen table to nurse.

Tony took a deep breath and said in a pinched voice, "Angela, my daughter spent the night in your son's room last night. I caught her sneaking out this morning." He could barely sputter the words out without wanting to break something more solid than an egg.

"Spent the night? Define 'spent the night', Tony. Did you talk to Samantha?" Angela wasn't ready to jump to conclusions and believed that Tony's reaction was unwarranted.

"She said she went to check on him because he was crying and wanted to stay with him until he fell asleep, then she fell asleep herself. That's what she's _claiming_, Angela." Tony fairly huffed out his words, almost struggling for breath.

"What's so bad about that, Tony? I had offered to sit up with Jonathan myself. It was very kind of Sam to stay with him in his darkest hours of grief. Why are you so upset? Don't you believe her?" Angela truly didn't understand why Tony was reacting so badly.

Tony considered Angela's words for a moment. But then he remembered the guilty, embarrassed look on his daughter's face and her nightgown tag on the outside. That damned tag! How could he explain that away? "Angela", he said through clenched teeth, "her nightgown was inside-out!"

"And what, Tony? You've never accidentally worn your PJ's inside out? Jonathan was bawling his eyes out over his dead father last night! Do you really think that he and Sam had some sort of illicit tryst? Tony, you're overreacting and imagining things that aren't there! Those two are finally getting along and becoming good friends. Why is your mind in the gutter!?" Angela was getting mad now.

Tony got mad right back at her and continued his earlier mutterings in Italian. Angela had a point but his gut told him that Sam was being dishonest about something for weeks and weeks now. He couldn't shake his uneasiness. But he didn't want his mind in the gutter, not when he was thinking about his daughter and step-son. The mere thought of those two . . . he let out a loud Italian curse.

Angela came right up to him, put a steady hand on his shoulder and spoke softly into his ear, "Italian is best when whispered in bed, Tony."

"Or when I'm angry, Angela. Like right now!" He looked at her unwavering dark eyes. She didn't seem worried at all. She simply shook her head at him and smiled.

"Tony, you need to calm down. The memorial service is in a few hours. You need to pull yourself together."

"When those kids come down for breakfast, we need to ask them . . ."Tony began but was immediately interrupted by his wife.

"Ask them? No, Tony! You're not going to accuse them of doing something wrong when Jonathan is in mourning. You can't do that! My son needs comfort today, not accusations!" Angela put her foot down. She was upset that Tony would even suggest such a thing to begin with.

Tony started arguing with her but seeing that he wasn't going to win this one, muttered one last thing under his breath, while not quite stomping his foot. "Fine Angela. Fine, we'll do it_ your_ way. I won't say a thing; I see no evil, speak no evil", he declared in a tone both theatrical and dramatic.

"Evil? Really? Now you're just being ridiculous!" she retorted indignantly. Rose started fussing at the verbal sparring, so Angela grabbed her coffee 'to go' and headed upstairs with the baby, shooting Tony a pointedly infuriated glare before exiting the kitchen.

True to his word, Tony kept his mouth shut. In fact, he stayed out of everybody's way-he simply prepared some breakfast items and left the kitchen. He didn't want to face Samantha in case she was guilty; he wouldn't be able to bear it if he read it on her face. If his suspicions were justified, the repercussions would be disastrous. Tony didn't want to go there in his mind, to envisage the conflict, shock, horror and family chaos it could create. He felt queasy at the mere thought and hoped beyond hope that he was completely off base. Angela. He'd listen to Angela and agree with her. Angela, the voice of reason. Siding with her was the only way for him to remain sane at the moment, he told himself as he got ready for the memorial service.

The family planned to have the short, intimate service at the Fairfield Funeral Home, then scatter the ashes at _Too Good Pond_. It had always been a favourite place of Michael's and he'd taken Jonathan there plenty of times before abandoning his family. Jonathan had been too grief-stricken to come up with any ideas of his own, so he'd agreed with Angela's suggestion. After the service, they'd all head up to the nature reserve together and let Jon do the honours.

The memorial service itself was heart wrenching. For the most part, Jonathan remained outwardly stoic, sandwiched between his mother and Samantha. His guilt about the anger he'd felt towards Michael was tormenting him. He kept picturing his father sliding down a muddy escarpment, unable to catch himself, then lying dead in a pile of mud and leaves, undiscovered for weeks. To know that he'd been mentally cursing his father and hating him while the man was already dead haunted him. Had Michael's final thoughts been of him? Jon swallowed back a sob at the tormenting beliefs that plagued him constantly. The only relief he'd had was when Samantha had come to him last night.

Samantha. She sat beside him now, offering her comfort and love. During their intimate bonding, he'd felt his heart mingle with hers and recognized that she was his soul mate. He couldn't bear to be away from her for a moment; she was his pillar of strength. She'd warned him that morning that Tony had caught her escaping from his room and that he was suspicious but not accusatory . . . yet. Jon's sensitive nature immediately perceived a subtle but definite shift in Tony's mood. Tony's normally warm demeanor had cooled; he held back and sat in the pew behind them rather than beside Angela. Sam urged Jon to be cautious and coached him on what to say if Tony asked him about last night. But Tony didn't ask him a thing. In fact, Tony barely spoke to him except to offer brief condolences. At least he'd placed a comforting hand on Jon's back during the service when Michael's best friend had given the eulogy. But Tony was not behaving like Tony and the kids were fully aware of it.

Samantha felt both guilty and angry. Angry at her father for being cold and distant and for the way he was deliberately avoiding eye contact with her. Guilty for lying to him and Angela about something so important; dishonesty didn't sit well with her conscience. She shifted uncomfortably on the hard, wooden pew and glanced over at Jon. He'd stopped crying; their night together had helped him release a lot of his grief and he was calmer now but still deep in mourning and tormented about his anger towards Michael. She placed a cool, soothing hand on the back of his warm neck and gently pulled him towards her just before he got up to say a few words of his own.

"Boo, I'm nervous", he whispered into her ear. "I don't know if I can do this. Maybe I shouldn't . . . what if I break down and cry in front of these people?"

"You'll be fine. I'm right here; just look at me. You can do this, Sweetie", she encouraged him quietly as he stood up and walked to the podium.

From his seat directly behind the kids, Tony overheard their endearing nicknames and cringed. _Boo_ and _Sweetie_? Since when did they call each other that? Their intimate gestures and expressions, the way they bent their heads together to whisper in lovers' soft, low voices betrayed them. Tony put his head in his hands and willed himself not to throttle both of them in the middle of Michael Bower's memorial service. He'd have to talk to Angela about this, whether she believed him or not. How could Angela sit there right beside, yet be completely unaware? Tony sighed loudly in frustration earning his daughter's baleful stare. He glared right back at her and emphatically shook his head; she blushed and turned away knowing that the proverbial shit had hit the fan.

Jonathan stood at the front of the room, looking at the intimate gathering of friends who had come to pay their final respects to his father. He was surprised by how few of them he actually knew; people who had been in his dad's life but whom Jonathan had never met. He felt his heart pounding and his throat go dry but he stood up straight and looked at Sam. She nodded at him while his mother was giving him a tearful smile, but Tony just stared at him. Jon lost his train of thought, opened his mouth to begin and panicked. Tony looked upset and Sam was biting her nails again.

"Uh . . . my name is Jonathan Bower, Michael's son. Thank you for coming today to celebrate my father's life", Jon paused and shut his eyes for a moment. The look on Tony's face was making him nervous. "My dad . . . my dad was a great guy. I really got to know him over this past year when I went to live with him. It was my dad who taught me all about snakes and reptiles when I was little. He was always off on an adventure . . ." Jon stopped again and swallowed hard. He didn't want to say that his father had abandoned him for years before their recent reconciliation. His dad's friends were waiting for him to continue. "My dad and I spent a few years apart though. But… but… but we got together in the end. He taught me how to play the piano, you know? Yeah, and how to drive too . . ." Jon trailed off, his sentence unfinished. "I'm sorry, I know you all expected a wonderful speech but I can't . . .I don't deserve to speak right now. I was so mad at him and he was already dead and nobody knew!" Jon chocked back a sob. "Go ahead and hate me. I hate me. I was a crappy son …" he stopped because his mother was standing up and hurrying towards him.

Angela went to the podium, put her arm around her son and took his place at the microphone. "I'm sorry. My son is having a very hard time with his father's death. Their relationship wasn't always easy but Jonathan knows that Michael loved him very much. And if Michael were here today, he'd tell Jonathan how proud he is of the young man he's become. I'm sure that's what Michael would say. Don't you?" Angela hugged her son while the guests nodded their approval and she led him back down to his seat on the pew.

"Thanks Mom", he sniffled and leaned into her. Angela looked behind her at Tony, puzzled that he hadn't joined her. The conflicting emotions on Tony's face confused her. On one hand, he seemed genuinely moved but he was clearly holding himself back from comforting Jonathan.

After the service, guests mingled in one of the private rooms to remember Michael and munch on finger sandwiches provided by the funeral home. Jonathan sat on a small, hard sofa and suffered the many condolences and kind words spoken to him by complete strangers. Photos of Michael had been placed all around the room for the guests to remember him. To Jonathan, it felt as though the guests were deliberately being slow and intrusive. The stuffy room was suffocating and when a well-meaning woman wearing too much perfume came over to pat him on the shoulder, he pulled away and bolted out of the room. Angela started to follow him but Tony stopped her. The kid's suffering was palpable and Tony couldn't just sit back and ignore it anymore, no matter what situation existed between Jonathan and Samantha. He loved the boy as his own child and seeing him break down, hating himself was heartbreaking. "I got this, Angela", he told her.

Tony found Jon sitting in the hallway, head in his knees. He lowered himself beside his step-son and sat quietly, waiting for Jon to speak. Jonathan was quiet for a moment before finally saying, "I really f****-up that speech, Tony. Can I just get out of here?"

Tony raised a surprised eyebrow; he'd never heard the kid swear before. He took a deep breath, and consciously banished the memory of Sam exiting Jon's room from his mind. This was neither the time nor the place.

"You're being too hard on yourself, Jon. Your mom is right; your dad would be proud of you and he loved you. He made an effort and really came through for you before he died. It's not your self-loathing that he'd want. I think he'd just want you to remember him and treasure the time you had together." Tony sincerely told him what he thought to be the truth.

"Yeah Tony, I get that. But I keep picturing his dead, broken body at the bottom of that cliff, decomposing, while I was mad about my birthday and …" Jon felt Tony's hand squeeze his shoulder hard before he could finish his sentence.

"Jon, stop! Are those the kinds of thoughts you're having? Oh my god, I didn't realize you were so tortured. Jonathan, I think you might need to talk to somebody; that ain't healthy!" Tony simply looked horrified.

Jonathan just shrugged, "I don't want to see Dr. Bellows. I talked to Sam about it and I'm telling you now. Tony, I want to leave. Can we go? Please?" Tony nodded at him and stood up. "I'll get the others; you just wait here. But we're going to need to have a serious talk, you and me. And not just about those disturbing thoughts of yours. I think you know what else we need to talk about. But not today." Tony told him before returning to the others.

Jon didn't wait around; the thought of having a 'serious talk' with Tony scared him. So, had Tony figured it all out when he'd caught Sam leaving his bedroom this morning? Jon shuddered at what was coming but tried to reassure himself with the fact that Tony hadn't killed him just now. He walked out of the funeral home and stood outside the front door, taking deep gulps of fresh air mingled with second hand cigarette smoke. It was his dad's friend; the one who had given the eulogy.

"Jonathan? Hey, I'm Mitch. Your father and I met in Zimbabwe a few years ago. I'm really sorry for your loss, kid." Mitch shook his hand.

"So, you knew my dad? Thanks for coming. I know my speech sucked but your eulogy was great. I'm sure he would have appreciated it."

"Your words were honest, kid. I know that your dad regretted leaving you when you were little. When I met him, he'd just been through round two with your mom trying to make it work . . . in '85 was it? Anyway, he was crazy about you and very proud of you too. He always told me how smart you were; his little boy genius. And when you moved in with him last year, he was ecstatic. He couldn't make any of his marriages work but he wanted to make it work with you. I thought you should know that." Mitch threw his cigarette butt to the ground and stomped it with his foot.

Jon smiled and thanked Mitch for his kind words just as his family was coming in search of him.

"There you are!" Angela sighed in relief. "Are you alright, Sweetheart?"

"Yeah Mom. Mitch here . . . helped me understand some things about Dad. So, are we ready to go to the pond now?"

Angela nodded as they made their way towards the car. "I have to pick Rose up from her sitter in a couple of hours at the latest, so let's go now."

Sam held Jon back for a second and furtively hissed, "he knows" to him. Jon wasn't surprised. "Yeah, I know", he told her in his normal voice.

The drive to _Too Good Pond_ was quiet. Tony drove and shot an occasional glance at the kids in the rear-view mirror. Mona was sitting between them; she sensed the tension in the air between Tony and the kids as well as a new intimacy between Sam and Jon. She quickly understood that they hadn't heeded her warning and it troubled her tremendously. Mona didn't know how she knew these things but she could tell that her grandson was different today, a part of his innocence gone. And if Tony's mood was any indication, he was onto them.

When they arrived at the nature reserve, they slowly made their way around the pond to find a good spot for scattering the ashes. Jon hugged his father's urn to himself wondering how he was going to do this. Angela saw his apprehension and walked beside him, her arm around his waist.

"This seems like a good spot, Sweetheart? What do you think?" Angela pointed to a small wooden bridge overtop a slow moving stream. "You can sprinkle them into the stream so that they keep moving out and don't clump near the water's edge."

"Clump, Mom?" Jon felt doubtful. "Maybe I should just take the urn home and keep it in my room." The thought of 'sprinkling' his father felt strange.

"No, Jonathan. Your father was an adventurer and a nature lover. I think he'd want to be free in the wild, not stuck in an urn." Angela didn't want her son turning the urn into a shrine either. He needed closure.

"Angela's right. You need to scatter the ashes and this place is beautiful. I think your dad would approve", Samantha nodded encouragingly, coming to stand on his other side.

Jon looked at her, needing her near him. With trembling hands, he opened the urn and stood silently for a moment, looking into it. "Bye Dad", he said as he scattered the contents of the urn into the stream. They all watched the ashes disappear into the water as the current carried them away. After a few moments, Jon turned to them and stated that he wanted to go home.

Angela wiped the tears from her eyes and hugged her son. "You are a good son; the best. And don't ever doubt that, okay?" He squeezed her back tightly before adding, "You're not going to be saying that much longer, Mom", and walked away leaving his mother completely bewildered.

Angela watched her tall blond son's retreating back and wondered what he was talking about. Tony was eyeing Sam with disappointment and Mother seemed worried. Samantha couldn't bear her father's knowing gaze so she ran to catch up with Jonathan. Angela abruptly became aware that something was brewing, and that everybody was in the know except for her. "What's going on? What's he talking about? Tony?" She turned to her husband.

Tony faced his wife. The timing was all wrong but Jon's offhand comment had stirred the bubbling pot. He was now sure beyond doubt that the kids had spent the night together in an official sense; it was written all over them. Jon had simply confirmed it for him.

"Angela, I don't think this is the time or place to bring it up. But we need to talk and soon", he told her while staring at the trees behind her.

"No Tony. If something is going on, I want to know. Why is everybody so tense and strange today? It's not just the funeral, I know it!"

"Angela, we talked about it this morning in the kitchen, remember? You dismissed what I said but . . . but I wasn't wrong", he told her warily. He waited for her to understand him but she simply stood there, looking confused. "Don't you get it?" he told her a bit too harshly. "Look at them!"

Tony pointed to the kids up ahead where they were huddled in a tight embrace. Jon was stroking Sam's hair while she snuggled against him, her arms wrapped securely around his waist. Their hug seemed almost defensive, as though they could squeeze out the real world and make it disappear by sheer will.

Angela gaped at them and back at Tony, who was becoming quite agitated by the kids' blatant show of affection. "No", she moaned. "No, no, no! Tony, tell me you're wrong! Please", she begged.

Sam and Jon pulled apart when they heard Angela's anguished cries. They looked at each other forlornly, and slowly turned towards their parents, walking back over to them.

Mona had predicted this; that's why she had been so adamant about the kids keeping their little romance under wraps and keeping it out of the bedroom. Clearly, it was too late for them to heed her advice now. Now, was the time for damage control. The two camps were getting closer and closer; Mona decided to act as the buffer zone and physically inserted herself between the kids and their devastated parents.

"Okay, that's close enough!" she shouted to the kids as they approached Tony and Angela's position. "Alright, everybody calm down. This is not the end of the world. We need to talk about this reasonably, as adults and …" Mona was abruptly cut off by Tony before she could finish her thought.

"You expect me to be reasonable, Mona? They had sex in the room next to ours last night! How long has this . . . this . . . thing been going on?" Tony sputtered angrily.

Samantha and Jonathan held hands for support. "Dad, last night was the only time, I swear", Sam admitted pitifully.

"You swear, Sam? How can I believe you? You lied to me this morning! I can't even look at you!" Tony turned away from her, enraged.

"Tony please. It's my fault—I asked her to stay. I didn't want to be alone", Jon came to her defense.

"Yeah Dad, he needed comfort." Sam wanted to die right now. Her father's face was red and she could see his throbbing temple from where she stood.

"Comfort? Comfort Sam? He needed comfort?!" Tony shouted at them. "Angela and I offered comfort but Jon turned us down. You couldn't comfort him with a hug?" Tony began moving menacingly towards the kids but Mona held out her hand and told him to stay back.

"Don't move, Tony! I knew this was going to happen. Why didn't you two listen to me?" Mona addressed the kids. "I warned you."

"You knew, Mother?" Angela broke in tearfully. "You knew and you didn't tell us? How could you?" Angela was truly shocked and began to feel dizzy. She needed to sit down and quietly collapsed onto the big boulder beside her.

"See? See what you're doing to your mother?" Tony pointed an accusing finger at Jon. "I can't believe you slept with my daughter, after all those long talks we had in the garage. You betrayed me." Tony held back tears of anger and frustration and went to comfort his wife, who had become quite pale and shaky.

Both kids burst into tears of remorse and tried to get closer to Angela to see if she was alright but Mona blocked them.

"Angela? I'm sorry. I'm so sorry", Sam cried out to her. "I love him, Angela. Please . . . I love him so much." Sam desperately wanted Angela's forgiveness and understanding. But Angela didn't feel well and put her head into her hands so she wouldn't faint. A wave of nausea hit her hard and she quickly went to be ill behind some bushes. Her mind was reeling in shock and disbelief. Tony had called it and she'd been too stupid to see it-too trusting, too naïve. She felt betrayed by Samantha after the close relationship they'd built. She staggered out of the foliage, unsteady and distraught.

"I can't believe this is happening", she groaned. "Tony, I need to go home and lie down. Can you drop me off and then pick Rose up from her sitter?"

Tony put his arm around her and helped her walk to the car. The kids just stood there, unsure if they'd be welcomed in the car. But Mona grabbed a kid with each hand and shoved them towards the parking lot. "You can't hide from them. But what's done is done; I guess we have to try and fix it now." Mona would do her best but the fracture ran deep. Mona feared the family might not be able to recover.

The drive home was torturously slow. The kids remained completely silent, with Mona between them once again. Angela emitted the occasional soft sob while Tony tried not to crash the car.

"Samantha, if you get pregnant, I swear …" Tony shouted suddenly, startling everybody in the car.

"I won't Dad-I'm on the Pill", Sam said quietly, wishing she could open the moving car's door and escape.

"The Pill? Oh so you planned this then?" Tony asked her angrily before almost crashing into the truck in front of him. Angela yelled at him to keep an eye on traffic.

"No Tony, the Pill was my idea. I feared they might slip up after I caught them on the brink the night of your wedding. I'm the one who advised them to keep their romance under wraps and I told them not to have sex. But I've also lived long enough to know that kids make mistakes", Mona admitted ruefully.

"On our wedding night?! Mona, you've know that long? What the hell? Jon, all those boxing lessons and you never said a damned thing! I can't believe this!" Tony erratically swerved the car drawing more ire from Angela.

"Mother! How could you?" Angela cried in disbelief. "On our wedding night?" she sobbed, turning around to look at Sam.

Sam bowed her head in shame before answering, "Angela, I'm sorry. But I love Jon-I fell in love with him in California. Why is it so wrong?" She looked up at Angela, tears coursing down her face. "We're in love. Surely you understand how that feels! Me being without him is like you being without Dad!" She appealed to Angela's gentle nature, praying that she'd understand. Angela's face softened for a moment before she turned back around to look out the window, lost in her own thoughts.

"Don't give me that crap, Sam!" Tony barked at her. "Angela and I have been in love for years and we finally got together. You and Jonathan just started up a couple of months ago and you're step-siblings! It's wrong! I still can't believe you two had sex in the next room!" The car accelerated with Tony's anger.

"Tony, I loved Sam before you and Mom were even a couple. We got together in California before the wedding. You guys getting married doesn't change how we feel about each other. I'm not breaking up with her—I love her." Jon uttered those final words as Tony pulled the car into the driveway.

Tony parked the car and turned around to face the kids in the back seat. "This isn't going to work with you two. I can't allow you to disrespect us like you did last night. Jonathan, you were already sent away when your feelings for Samantha started. Well now it's Sam's turn. Samantha, I want you to leave. You can stay at Mona's until you get your room at the dorm back."

Samantha stared at her father in shock. He was deadly serious. "But Dad …"

"No Sam!" Tony was valiantly trying not to cry but he didn't see any other solution. Just thinking of the kids in bed together made his heart beat erratically. "I don't trust you, Samantha. You broke my trust", Tony's voice cracked painfully. He didn't want to throw his daughter out but she'd done it to herself with her dishonest and scandalous behavior. What had happened to his little girl?

Angela wasn't sure if she should try and defend Sam. She was furious with her but banishment was a harsh punishment. Then again, she didn't want the kids having sex in the house ever again. The thought made her feel ill. So she remained quiet and let Tony decide his daughter's fate.

"Go and pack", he told his daughter. "Then, I don't want to see you. If you need money, just talk to Angela . . . I can't deal with you right now." Tony dismissed her as he got out of the car, slammed the door, and didn't look back.


End file.
